Bending More than Blood
by LexieAnge
Summary: Zuko is told he has to look for his queen. There is only one woman that he could ever see as his queen. Katara is trying to pass her Anti-blood bending law after a rash of blood bending cases. This is not the time for thoughts of love. This is not the time to claim her now. Where was he a year ago? Five years ago? Why didn't he tell her then? Did he try and she miss it?
1. Chapter 1

Bending more than Blood

I don't own avatar. If I did Aang would have married Suki or something.

Sorry guys wrote it at 4 am so I added to it.

They are all working so close together to make Republic City all it could be. That is the problem. Katara didn't want to tell him. Zuko would not leave until she gave him an explanation on the new bill she and Aang held secret. Hell even Sokka knew and that boy couldn't keep his mouth shut except about this. Zuko has some ideas. Katara hardly ever used her bending lately. Turning instead to hand to hand combat when out with Toph.

"What are you so scared of?" He asked her in her office. She was a vision in her green dress. Katara had been crying looking out the window. Zuko could see the water sparkle as she turned to the voice at the door. The moon shining above her. "Katara?" The tears made him rush to her side. "Why are you crying?"

"I can't tell you. It is hard to talk about." By the spirits he hated that look. She had it when he almost died. When Aang almost died. After every time Katara used blood bending. All of her hurt flowed like water though the air. She was so close to tears again.

"You know nothing you say can change my feelings about you, but I understand." Ice blue eyes stared at him. "Why don't we just go out for Cactus juice? I hear it is the quenchiest."

The mere mention of Sokka drunk on the juice was enough to make the woman, the great and powerful Fire Lord Zuko loved, smile. His heart lightened. "Why is it you are the only one that can make me laugh these days, Zuko?" Still the perfect woman, Katara touched his scar. Not even Mai dared to touch the scar. When Katara's cool finger tips touch his scar it was like it was healing a little more. Little by little Zuko knew that she was also dousing the fire in his mind.

"Maybe it is because we are elemental opposites. I just need to think about what would annoy me most and it makes you smile." He held out his hand to her.

"Like Aang?" She teased. Aang did annoy the Fire Lord but only because he monopolized the time of this water bender. "You have been a little more tense around him lately. I don't think that it has anything to do with this new bill."

Zuko leaned on her desk arms crossed. He thought that he was hiding it better but then again Katara always mirrored him so well. "I like the boy. I am just envious of him. Always have. No doubt always will." She looked hurt again. The sudden thought that her Fire Lord was so very handsome made her feel guilty towards her Avatar. "Times like this you reflect my thoughts." She blushed turning back to her desk. "I know a great little water tribe restaurant. Spend a few hours with me Katara. It's been too long. I think we both need a break."

"Dinner and drinks?" She faked shock. "Your majesty, if I didn't know any better, I would say that you were asking me, a poor water tribe girl, out on a date." He smiled to her. If only she was just that. She was the only water bender daughter of the chief of the Southern Water Tribes. That made her a princess. Zuko's tan skinned water goddess. Damn Aang for winning her heart before Zuko even had a chance at it.

"If only you would give me the pleasure." He flirted. Katara blushed. "I promise that you have fun."

"What would Mai say?" Mai was the last thing on his mind. Saved by the rumble in her tummy as it spoke to his. "Okay maybe I should take a break." Zuko smiled. "This better be the best place in the whole Earth Kingdom."

"That is the spirit."

"Just the warn you. Toph has kidnapped Aang for the night." That was not a warning. That was great news to Zuko. The Avatar would not interrupt.

"Suki has dragged your brother to a new version of that play." She nodded. "I don't know why she is willing to put herself through it a second time." Walking arm in arm Zuko took Katara home. Only stopping briefly in the market place to pick up the ingredients that he needed. The plan was tonight he would show her how far he had changed.

"Do you think that I don't see what you are doing?" Zuko blinked a few times taking the penguin from the butcher's hands.

"What?" He said innocently. Katara, carried two bags of vegetables and spices, cocking one eye brow. Well At least it wasn't her angry glare. Part of him had let himself wonder if this was how being with Katara all the time felt like. Just another think he envied about Aang. Zuko had to split his time between the Fire Nation and The City so he had to spend the rest of his time writing to his friends here. Aang lived here. In Katara's house at that.

"Zuko are you intend me to cook when you asked me out?" He laughed. Not because that is what she thought but at her face. She smiled as she said it with an annoyed tone.

"No." Katara's weight shifted to let her hip hold the weight of the bag. "No!" She sighed smiling. "I have been learning to cook water tribe foods since I can't have you cooking anymore." Katara's smiled faded. At least he was being honest, she thought. Everyone knew that she was a horrible cook yet he loved it. "My palace cooks can't cut their way though a wet paper bag let alone a penguin. No matter how many times I show them, they don't get it." He sighed. "A woman named Yuki has been teaching me. She is from the Northern Water Tribe. She was all too happy to come cook for me." Katara groaned. Zuko didn't know what for. Her muscles were tight as Zuko took a bag from her.

"Northern tribe food is not the same as southern tribe." He knew that. Having someone from her tribe would hurt more. "They don't even have penguins." Zuko said nothing. How could he tell her that though? "Fine! I will cook." Katara sighed again. She wasn't thinking about her issues anymore. Zuko always seemed to make himself in the front of her mind. Right now that was what she needed.

"No, you are my guest." He took her free hand kissing it. "I wouldn't let you even if you asked. Iroh would never let me forget it." She openly laughed at that. It was true. Uncle Iroh would come back from the grave just to make Zuko treat Katara properly.

"Zuko, you have not had nearly as much practice at it than I have. One day, though, I want you to make me your favorite Fire kingdom foods." Heading into the Earth kingdom styled home Zuko had to fight the urge to kiss her.

How could this woman have such power over him? Katara was so strong, so loyal, so brilliant, so very beautiful. Her bending was the most powerful in both kingdoms. He offered to help him but he betrayed her which nearly got Aang killed. Yet in the training and he final battle they were back to back holding their ground. Zuko was not worthy of her friendship. She had hunted down the man that killed her mother yet didn't kill him. She became the Painted Lady so that a village would not be killed by Zuko's father's army. Katara was the one that defeated his sister and saved his life in the final battle.

"You coming or are you going to stare at my house all night?" Zuko smiled. She was oblivious to his feelings. Then again the lonely smile she gave him lately seemed out of place.

"I will put these in the kitchen." She nodded.

When Katara came to the kitchen in a simple blue gown Zuko was cooking. It matched her eyes. Not like that formal green gown that she wore at the office. Zuko took a deep breath continuing to dice the veggies. There were snacks laid out on the counter. Katara smelled like water lilies as she was reaching around him to get to the snacks. As soon as she tried Zuko slapped her hand gently with his free hand.

"There are fire flakes in that." Katara pulled her hand away. The first time she had tried fire flakes Katara blew up like a blow fish. Had Zuko not been there she could have died. Sokka didn't seem to have the problem. "It's for Aang and Sokka." He passed her a bowl of mixed fruits and nuts. "This one is for you."

"Zuko, why is you are not married yet?" She joked sitting down with what he knew were her favorites. "If you treat every girl like this they should be dropping at you feet like flies."

"The one girl I have fallen in love with is engaged to another man." She frowned at him. It seemed pointed at her but she couldn't be sure. It wasn't like Aang and she were officially engaged. If he took the chance-.

"Then take her away from him." The knife in Zuko's hand slipped. Red splashed across the carrots he was working on. She didn't know "Spirits I am sorry I shouldn't be talking to you while you are cooking." He sucked the blood off his finger examining it before she took his hand. Water from his glass rose up covering the cut. "Do you want help?" Why was she frowning as something like healing? Did something scare her about her bending?

"If you want. I could never stop you from doing anything." She looked up at him. "That is why I always helped you." By the spirits she was gorgeous now. At twenty six there was no reason why she too should not have been married. There was Aang but if he didn't make their relationship final soon someone would take her heart. "I said that I would cook for you. You have had a long day at council."

"Yeah and you just flew in from your kingdom. Its a long trip even by Airship." Her healing was done. Zuko could see her eyes were three shades of blue. Ten years has made her so much stronger. Ten years he has loved her. She kissed his hand. Slowly he moved to kiss her lips.

"Zuko?" Was asked from the door. Zuko groaned. He wanted to kiss her. Sokka and Suki made their way to the counter with the food. It was Suki that spoke. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming I could have you house set up for your arrival." His new bodyguard was so very protective. There was no way he could fault Suki for interrupting him.

"I sent word ahead through Katara and she saw to it." Suki glared at Katara. "You are on vacation Suki. Enjoy it." The Fire Lord said handing a bowl to Sokka.

"What are you doing here?" Sokka asked taking the bowl.

"Cooking me dinner. Why are you not at the play?" They all knew that tone. Zuko smiled again moving back to the cutting board. Sokka backed away. "Its date night, isn't it?"

"When the audience heard that Sokka was there they rioted." Zuko didn't need to see what Katara was doing. "Toph is over there now dealing with it. There are people-" Zuko followed the girl out. This was his job. Protection when needed. Katara may need it. Helping people was her job. He would never stop her. Katara would never turn her back when people needed her.

When they got there Toph was talking to Aang. Katara landed at the side of the first injured man. "Sparkles?!" Aang saw that Zuko stood over Katara. They were a great couple. That annoyed Aang. Why was the Fire Lord even with her?

"How are we doing Toph?" Zuko asked surveying the sparse healers among the wounded. "I can call my person guard if you need more troops."

"I have enough men to handle this. I just need more healers." The police chief touched her friend tensing at her side. There was something new in the earth. Aang smelt the wind. Blood was every where. That was not Zuko smelt though. Both men looked down at Katara as she gasped.

"He's here." Zuko pulled her to her feet. Katara stood stiffly. "Toph get as many people out of here as you can. I will draw him away." Zuko nodded following where the water bender ran.

"Its a new moon." Aang frowned working his way to Katara. "How could he use it?"

"I don't need it any more." Katara looked up at Zuko. "I don't think that you should be here, Zuko." Toph started to give orders. Aang flew to some roof tops. "This is dangerous and I will not be known as the water bender that kills the Fire Lord."

"I have told you more than once that I will never leave you alone." She kissed his cheek. "We are the best partners out of every one on Team Avatar." Fire pooled in this hand. "There is no way I am going to just leave you."

"Then follow me but not too close. I cant let him hurt-" It was too late. The man next to her screamed as he stood up with two broken legs. Zuko had seen this before. Katara had done. Blood bending. How was he going to keep her safe? "Get out of here."

"I told you I am not leaving you." Just then he pulled his sword. Katara gasped tearing up. Zuko was now the villain's puppet.


	2. Chapter 2

Bending more than Blood

I don't own avatar. If I did Aang would have married Suki or something.

Sorry guys wrote it at 4 am so I added to it.

Chapter two

"I told you I am not leaving you." Just then he pulled his swords. Katara gasped tearing up. Zuko was now the villain's puppet. Why hadn't she fought the Fire Lord more about this? "There is another blood-" Her hand covered his mouth. This way she was too close for him to kill her with the swords.

"I told you to leave, Zuko. I didn't want you to feel what I have to do to you now." Katara rose her hands to take control of his body. Using it to trace the lines of bending to the source. It was painful, she knew. As she fell to the ground with Zuko, he groaned in her ear trying to keep the pain to himself. "I wish you would have just left."

"I will never leave the woman I love." She heard Zuko say before the pain took over his body. Bodies screamed all around her as her bending flared. As a teen she had been so angry with Zuko, for so many reasons. Katara hated him for being the enemy, being her first crush, the man that betrayed her, for trying to kill her last hope, for becoming part of that hope, for saving her life more than once, giving her the two things that she wanted, then for leaving before even trying for the third, for coming back to the city, they were building for peace, for becoming the puppet of a blood bender, for telling her now he loved her.

"Spirits damn Zuko." Then there was another anger. A cool calm calculating anger that played on the edge of her mind. The blue lines of water bending weaved through the prone people to the top floor of and apartment building. Inside that apartment smiled the raven haired freak of nature. One of the only other students of Hama. The elderly blood bender had not seen Katara as her true heir so during her time in prison it is said that she took on students. "I can see you, Morgan." Katara felt herself scream. The power moved towards where Aang was flying. "Now come here."

With a wave of her hand the other blood bender fell out the window. Aang was there to catch Morgan. Toph not that far behind. Katara held the control of the weaker bender, with the rage to powered her every cell. "Don't ever think you can best me." Aang placed a hand on the woman's heart and head. It was over. The rage did not subside though. Katara remembered the pool of red and black silk at her feet. "Damn you Zuko."

Katara turned him over on to her lap. Other healer came running only to be waved away. Katara was the top ranking water bender here so it was her job to heal the Fire Lord. Ignoring the reason of it was her fault so she needed to fix the issue. "Come on Hot Head." Nothing. "You can't just say that and not explain it to me." As she started to bend the water around them Zuko took hold of her wrist.

It was just like the battle with Azula. Zuko tried to save her and he landed up almost dying at her feet. Sure she healed the then prince, that didn't stop the guilt. At that time he was a crush. The older boy that would do anything for her not to yell at him all the time. Her partner in all fights. The one person that really understood her. "Don't you think that we should talk about it in private?"

"No! You are going to tell me now." Katara helped Zuko to sit but he fell back into her, holding his head. The counter had caused his muscles to seize. It would take a few moments for him to be able to stand.

"I don't think this is something that Aang will want to hear." Zuko could probably feel the heat from her anger. Golden eyes look into her, calming her instantly. How did he do that? "I promise I will explain it to you later. Right now I need to know what is going on." Zuko fought to stand. She looked up at him. "I think there is more than me that needs your help, Tara." Her heart stopped at the nickname. He was the only one that called her that. Her heart fluttered at the sound.

"Hey Sugar Queen, you alright?" Toph called. Katara saw Aang place metal cuffs on the blood bender's wrists. He didn't even look her way as Toph called the childish nickname. "Is she hurt Sparky?"

"I got her, Toph." Zuko called back. "Right?" Why did Zuko have her? Why was Aang not there? "Are you hurt, Tara?" Katara held her hand over her mouth to keep from vomiting. The power was finally gone. It was the void that made her ill. She hated herself. This was the worst kind of bending. Why couldn't she have something like Toph and bend metal. Or Zuko's golden lightning? No she had to have the power over another person's physical body. "Katara, you have to talk to me. I would rather you yell at me than cry like this." She shook her head. Zuko crouched to pull her to her feet. "Please tell me what you need Katara. I will give anything to make you stop crying." He said against her ear as he held her close to him.

"Promise me for the next little while that you are going to do what I tell you. If I tell you to leave please just go." Katara brushed the dirt from the silk he wore. "It is very dangerous in the city right now Zuko. It will destroy me if you or any of the others died on my watch." He pulled her into a hug. "I almost killed you trying to break the bender's powers."

"Don't worry about me, Tara. If lightning to my heart couldn't kill me no blood bending is going to do it." Zuko was trying to comfort her. "Besides I know that I am a tougher cookie than Sokka. Now there is a wimp." The disgruntle moan made her smile. Zuko had made the jab at Sokka to let her know her brother was coming closer. "Besides I know that you wouldn't really let me die. I hope we are past that now."

"Don't tell me the truth and I will see Appa eat you alive." She threaten. Zuko just laughed at her. To keep Zuko from seeing her blush, Katara turned away heading to Aang and the water bender.

"Dude, she is with Aang." Sokka said just barely loud enough for Katara to hear. Though she was too far away to hear Zuko's reply.

Aang turned to her smiling. He really was clueless some times. "Are you hurt?" Not physically but Aang never saw her pain.

"No, but she took control of Zuko. He was trying to protect me while I was trying to find her." Aang started to fuss but Katara was more concerned with her fellow pupil. "Morgan?" She was drooling on the floor of the carriage. "If there is another one please let me talk to them before you strip them. I need to know how many there are." Katara saw Sokka and Zuko head to the apartment building.

Aang left with the bender after Katara reassured him she would be fine. Toph slapped a hand on her older friend's shoulder. "Is Sparky okay?"

"For now he is but it was touch and go." Katara saw the damage she caused. The cracks in the street that filled with water from the ground under it. For a moment she was glad that Toph was blind. "I don't think this is over Toph. This was not the same as the bending last week. There is at least one more."

"Let's hope not. I don't know if the city can handle you angry like that again." Katara groaned. "The ground rumbled as you started your bending. What did Sparky say to make you that angry?"

"Something that he should have said after I took out his sister." Toph had hear all of Katara's fears after the war. Including which of the men she would date. The sad thing was that Sokka and Toph also talked about Zuko and Katara. Both loved the other but Zuko left thinking that Katara wanted Aang.

"It is about time." Katara spun to her friend. "Whoa Katara."

"You knew and you didn't tell me?"

"Well sure. My tent was right next to Sokka's when they had their man to man about you." The first time, when Zuko admitted that he cared what Katara thought about him. "It was amusing because Sokka was waiting for Suki." When was that? "It was right before your field trip with Zuko." Katara felt her muscles tighten as she left Toph. Toph knew. Sokka knew. Hell Suki probably knew too. She didn't realize what she was doing until The Fire Lord was backing into a wall of the apartment.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" His shock turned soft when he realized she was angry. "Freaking Sokka and Toph knew before you told me." Even softer when Zuko realized why?

"What was I going to say, Katara? Back then you were always angry with me. Nothing I could do would make me a good guy in your eyes. I understood why too. I deserved it, so how exactly was I supposed to tell you that anger made me love you." Sokka tried to pull his sister off his best friend only to have Zuko stop him. "What should I have done?"

"You could have done it after I blood bended the Sea Hawk captain. You could done it as I cried after not killing the bastard that killed my mother. You could have said it at the play. Instead of thanking me you could have told me you loved me after I defeat Azula. There have been so many more times that you could have told me. Why did it take me almost killing you with my corruption? Why Zuko?" She was in full tears. "I can't even bend normally without feeling the blood calling. I could have lost myself and stopped your heart." They sank to the floor. "If that was the last thing you ever said to me, nothing would have stopped me from following you."

Toph and Sokka pulled away from them. "I have faith in you, Katara. I knew you would never let me die. Even when you were trying kill me." He held her closer. "The only reason Sokka knows is because he knew you the longest. I cared a great deal about what you thought about me. It was you and Iroh that mattered most to me." Katara's heart leap to her throat. "Yes that is right. You and Iroh. Had it been anyone else to sit with me at the White Lotus Camp, I don't think I would have stepped into the tent."

"You could have told me then." She straddled his lap. "I way already realizing how much you meant to me." Katara watched the water roll down the scar. "You were the reason that I was so confused when Aang confessed to me."

"It doesn't help that you balance each other out." They both turned to Aang standing at the door. "I saw this coming. I knew the moment I saw you in Ba Sing Se that something was growing between you." Aang pulled Katara to her feet. "She should never have been as hurt if you were still just an enemy to her."

"I am sorry for that. It is why I didn't say anything." She punched him then pulled herself from Aang's grasp. "I left you to love her. I felt at death's door so I told her."

"I don't care, Zuko." Sokka pulled the young man away from Zuko. "I told her that I loved her before you did."

"I am sorry to say Aang but she seems to be lonely. She was crying in her office tonight. That is why I took her home." Zuko stood. "I hate to say if I could do it all over again I would have kept her at my side. At least she wouldn't feel alone as she fights blood benders." Zuko shot back at the boy.

"What do you know about it?" Aang asked.

"Aang just look at her. Really look at her." Aang frowned. He looked at her every day. There was no way he was missing anything. "The second she felt the bender she panicked. I told her that I wasn't going to leave her and she relaxed. It wasn't enough though. When that woman's powers took over my body, Katara was crying."

"Did you hurt her?" Aang let fire come to his hand. Katara fought the urge to rush back into the room. Aang wouldn't hurt Zuko. She knew that just as she knew that her body needed air.

"She calls blood bending her corruption." Toph held her hand out to the Fire Lord to stop him but he pushed it away. Zuko knew that she was just on the other side of the door way. Aang needed to hear this. "Katara doesn't trust the power and the only way for her to be at full power is to make her angry. I learned that when she was still my enemy. As her ally you should have known more about that gorgeous creature than me as her enemy." Zuko yelled. "Had I not brought her pain to the surface she would have died fighting that bender to keep you and the others safe."

Sokka could see the blue fabric shaking at the door frame. "Zuko this isn't helping my sister any."

"Helping? From what I have seen none of you are helping her!" The wall shook at flames poured into the far hallway. "Once she was done and her powers left her she was weak. Katara has never been that weak. My Tara would have fought it." His voice suddenly got quiet. "I could feel her self-hatred for doing something so evil. Have you seen that Aang?" No Aang hadn't and he was ashamed. How could he say he love her and ignored her pain. "Have you comforted _our _water bender for doing something that kills part of her soul? Have you been there as she cries because she is scared of her bending?" Aang pulled away. "I didn't think so."

"I don't think that Katara would have let me if I knew."

"Dammit Aang! I don't even fully know what is going on and I know that right now Katara needs someone to love her because she can't love herself." Katara stood up. Her face was framed by the hole in the wall that Zuko had made in frustration. His gold eye met her blue. "I love her so much it broke my heart seeing her crying. I swore that once the war was over she would only cry in happiness. That is why I left her to you, Aang. She seemed to be happy with you. I didn't expect that you would fail her like I did." Katara turned away from them running down the hall. "I didn't expect to feel my heart breaking for you, Katara." Zuko said after her.

Why could he told her that? Why did he have to leave her? She needed him. Katara knew she needed a different kind of strong to fight these evils. "Where is that Water Whore?" She heard a man yell over the screams. It was the second bending she felt. "There you are." Heat blasted her though the building to against the stairs. "I suppose the Fire Lord and the Avatar are here somewhere too."

"As long as I live no harm with come to Aang or Zuko." She yelled trying to stand up. Her back hurt. "Especially not by a filthy blood bender." Summoning her anger the water danced around her. "Die!"


	3. Chapter 3

Bending more than Blood

I don't own avatar. If I did Aang would have married Suki or something.

_lithriel23 and Edlover 23, you guys make my day and rock my world._

Chapter Three

"As long as I live no harm with come to Aang or Zuko." She yelled trying to stand up. Her back hurt. At least two of her ribs were broken. "Especially not by a filthy blood bender." Summoning her anger the water danced around her. "Die!"

"No, it will be you who die." A second man joined the blood bender. Neither of them wore the colors of the nation to give away their bending. The new man caused the street lights to flare. This one was a fire bender. Where the hell were the others? She was tired. Blood bending took so much energy. Add to that the fact that Katara hadn't slept in a few days and that she was emotionally drained she might just die from exhaustion. Fire whipped at her. Closing her eyes she waited for the pain.

It never came. Strong arms surrounded her hunched form. Suki and Sokka stood between her and the fire bender that Toph was attacking. Aang went after the water bender while Zuko held her up. "Aang and Toph can take care of them. Suki is going to help me get you home."

"No." She whispered. Zuko's arms got tighter causing a painful moan to escape her lips.

"No?" Zuko questioned. Why was she so stubborn? It was clear that she was in no way up for this fight. The first attack had sent her flying. Zuko could see the blood. She had some broken bones.

"NO!" Katara stood up straight despite the pain. "You and Aang get out of here. You are their true target. Toph and I can hold them off."

"No." The Fire Lord would hear none of this.

"No?" Looking in her blood shot, warn out eyes, Zuko knew she would not live through this fight. He was not going to leave her. Despite the promise that he made to her. It would likely end her life.

"No, Katara. I am not leaving you here in this state." She sighed. "You are going home and you are going to rest. Once I get you out of here Suki can bring all the healer from my boats. Ten other water benders can make up for you."

"This was the danger that I was talking about Zuko." He got that. "You promised."

"I didn't think that you would be willing to end your life. How is that going to help the team in the future if you are dead?" Katara didn't care at this point. Aang and Zuko had to leave. If she died because of a blood bender Aang and Sokka would have better chance passing the law. "We are partners, Tara. Partners help each other." He reached his warm hand out to cup her face. Only to pull her in to deflect an attack.

"Fine." He won just like that. There was no way she would let him win a verbal fight. "Just one thing I am going to do first." She turned away from him. The ground shook. The canal grew in depth. Rain fell from the cloudless sky. When had she gotten so powerful? "You." Water at their feet began to freeze. "Will." A flick of her wrist sent water over the men. "Never." All the water around the enemy started to freeze, sending shards raining over them. "Hurt." Now their legs and arms were frozen. "Them." They were solid. That didn't stop Katara from getting closer to them.

"Guards take them." Toph called trying to stop Katara. Zuko placed a hand on the armor of the Earth bender. "What is she doing?"

"I don't know Toph. None of us have seen her do this before." Zuko watched Katara enter some thing like the Avatar state. "I hope that she has enough energy to finish whatever she is doing."

Water rose around the injured people all over the street. Katara danced more raising the water high enough to submerge the wounded but not to drown them while she was lifted over the area. Zuko saw what she was doing. She was going to heal the masses. Water shone like moonlight for minutes that felt like hours. Katara fell as the glow faded. Zuko caught her with ease though his heart panicked that he would not make it to her in time.

Aang just watched as she fell head first into Zuko's waiting arms. Aang saw the Fire Lord's face go slack, panic, then relax as she was pulled closer to his body. They really were closer. When had that happened? How had Aang not seen the way Zuko felt? "Spirits save her if she gets anymore powerful." Toph said.

"I know the feeling."

"Suki." The Kyoshi warrior ran to her Fire Lord's side. Sokka was not that far behind. Aang out of guilt stayed with Toph to help clean up after the two attacks. Zuko was right. Aang didn't know what Katara was doing but Zuko seemed to. He let her. Zuko was there to protect her when she needed it. What had Aang done? Stood in awe of her power.

Zuko made it to her house before she woke. Suki took Katara to her room. Sokka gave one look to the Fire Lord before the man under the crown collapsed to the couch. "She is going to be the death of me." Sokka smiled sympathetic. "Was she like this as a child?"

"Kinda. She got worse during that first year with Aang." Sokka sat next to Zuko on the couch. "Katara has always been big on helping people. You know that. She asks for so little in return. I think that is why we feel the need to fulfill her every wish." Zuko placed his head in his hands. "Zuko, she doesn't want to tell you about the new bill because it is about the blood benders. She doesn't want to look like a hypocrite in our eyes so she only told Aang. As current Water tribe chair I got to see it before they finalize it."

"I kinda figured that out during the battle tonight." He groaned, pulling his crown from his hair. "Crap like this is why I fell in love with her in the first place. I am sorry that I have cause her so much pain since meeting her." Sokka patted the man on the shoulder. Suki was now out of the room. "On your way home can you send a healer here to take a look at Katara?"

"Already on it, Zuko." He smiled. At least he could do that for her. "She wants to see you when you are ready."

"Might as well get it over with. She is just going to yell at me again." He groaned. "You think by now I would be used to it." He ran a hand through his hair. "Stay calm Zuko. She has had a very long night." He said to himself before walking to her room door. She peaked her head out, looked around then pulled him in by his shirt. "Katara?"

"Shut up Zuko." Katara was wearing a long silk and lace night gown split down the front showing her tanned legs. Zuko gulped. He had never seen her in something so sexy. It was Fire Nation red and gold. That didn't help him remember that she was the Avatar's girl. Silk covered all the right parts as the gold lace let her skin shin through hinting of the nakedness. "You are a fool Zuko."

"Yes, I am. I should go." He turned to her fragile hand on the door frame. Water bending sent him to sit in a chair and pin him to it. Zuko couldn't stop his heart from speeding up. This was the Katara he loved. The determined Katara, not the weak one that was asleep in his arms. That too had given him a thrill as well.

"I am going to talk and you are going to listen." Zuko nodded holding a smirk in to himself. "Don't give me that smile." Zuko changed to a glare. She punched his shoulder laughing. Her water splashed to the floor. "I am trying to be serious here."

"Tara, I know I angered you. Part of me knows that you are meat for Aang. From the moment that you ran to him in Ba Sing Se." The glare that Aang had given Zuko back then had told Zuko that Aang had feelings for her too.

She dropped to his lap. Smooth legs curled around his. Her skin smelled of water lilies as her hair smelled of fresh rain as she laid her head on Zuko's shoulder. Carefully Zuko wrapped his arms around her. "Had you and I escaped before Aang showed up everything would be different wouldn't it?"

"I don't know." She sighed. "Sooner or later Aang would let his feeling for you show and I would have fallen into jealousy. I didn't lie to you. I did change just from one conversation with you."

"What do you mean?" Zuko absent mindlessly slid a hand up and down her bare arm.

"You and I were enemies talking about how we lost our mothers because of my father." Her cool hand covered his warm one. The touch so simple caused a cascade of goose bumps. The only woman that could do that. "You mirrored my pain. Before that you were just Aang's water master. I swear to you that I wanted to kiss you the second that you touched my scar. You became my other half. The one person that didn't shy away from me."

"What changed?"

"Aang scowled at me. I felt guilty for liking you." She brought his hand to her lips. "I would have followed you into hell right there and then. Jealousy changed that. I needed to destroy Aang to have you for myself. Until I heard my father's plans for the Earth Kingdom. I needed to get back to you to warn you. Aang had plans already so I didn't think about it. I just had to help you." Zuko pulled Katara to face him. "You hated me so much. I fooled myself that you loved me as much as I loved you. That was the only thing that made sense. To me you were my soul mate."

"That is why you did all that ridiculous stuff?" He frowned at her. Saving her from falling rocks. Taking her on the field trip. Defending her revenge plot to Aang. "You almost died to save me." She whispered. By the spirits she hated that about him. "All of that is my trigger."

"Trigger?"

"The blood bending takes an enormous amount of hate to cast. After Hama died it was you that fueled the power." That hurt him. "I hate you for betraying me despite the fact that I forgave you. I hate you for almost dying in the fight with Azula. You were the strong one. You were the ideal. Not because you were a prince but because you were willing to give that all up, including your family to help Aang. I didn't do that. I begged Sokka to come with me when I left the tribe. Just so I wasn't alone."

"You were with me so I wasn't alone. At the beach house I knew beyond a shadow of doubt that I loved you. You gave me so much. Sokka became my first real friend. Freedom from my hate. Had it been anyone else outside Iroh's tent I would never have gone inside."

"So why did you not ask me to stay with you?" Zuko didn't know the real answer to that. He knew very well that some times when he woke dreaming about her holding nothing but the empty air he was hate himself for not keeping Katara there. Years had gone by just like that. His only happy times was when he sat next to her at the council meeting. Zuko would day dream that she was his Fire Lady helping him rule their country.

"You were needed here. By the city. By Aang. Hell your brother needed you once Suki came to work for me. You don't realize how much you have done for this city, Katara." There was a knock on the door.

"Zuko, the healer is here." Sokka said through the door. "She says her name is Yuki." The cook teaching Zuko to cook? Katara tightened her grip on Zuko's hand. There was no way she was going to meet the other water bender in his life.

"I am not hurt." Katara said defiantly. All it took was one poke in her ribs for her to groan. "Some days I hate you." Zuko carried her to her bed smiling. They both knew that was not the case.

"I can see your jealous Tara." He whispered in her ear sending shivers down her spine. "She is only my cook. No one has taken your place." He rose his left hand to create a flame that resembled Katara. She suddenly turned to kiss him and gasped in pain. She collapsed in his arms instead.

"Fine, I will see your healer." Zuko realized that he had won by her own actions. A rare opportunity. "She better be not be pretty or I will kick your ass when she is done." Zuko and Sokka both started laughing. "Bring her in already."

Yuki was indeed gorgeous. Silver eyes that matched her silver hair. Blue and white dress that hugged her every curve. Her face held a calm that could only be matched by Yue. Katara saw that Sokka would look any where else but at the water bender than reminded him of his first love. "Sire you will need to leave so that I can look over her."

"Call me if you need me Yuki." The two water benders were glaring at each other. Zuko turned into Katara's vision pulling her into a soft kiss. " No be good Tara." Zuko smiled at her stunned reaction. "We can talk more when you are rested." He began to walk to where Sokka stood. Through the door way he saw Aang and knew she couldn't.

"Zuko, you better be in the guest room when I wake up. You still have some explaining to do. You and I have to clear the air once and for all." Aang pulled air around him to hurry his way out the front door.

"Sure thing Katara." The door closed softly. Katara looked back at the woman. "No fighting." Zuko said as Katara lay back on her bed. She closed her eyes waiting for the oh so cool feeling of water bending.

"This will not be a fight." The water bender flicked her wrist. This was not the cold love of water bending. It was the boiling hate of blood bonding. "I can't believe that you are the one that Zuko loves." Katara screamed. "Shut up!" There was more snapping. "You are not worthy of Zuko."

Zuko hear Katara scream. Fire hit her door when Sokka couldn't open it. Nothing happened. "She is a blood bender Zuko?" Sokka said drawing his sword on the Fire Lord. "I am sorry my friend." Sokka was forced to face Zuko. Zuko felt the torn feeling now that had been on Katara's face earlier that night. He was going to have to kill the bender or beat his best friend to a pulp. How was there so many blood benders? How was he going to save both Katara and Sokka?

Sokka's body took a chance as Zuko was confused to attack. Sokka saw through the bending that Zuko and Katara were of the same mind. They were meant to be together. As long as Sokka didn't kill Zuko.


	4. Chapter 4

Bending more than Blood

I don't own avatar. If I did Aang would have married Suki or Toph. By the way I am going to say sorry for this. Please don't hang me.

Chapter Four

Sokka's body took a chance as Zuko was confused to attack. Sokka saw through the bending that Zuko and Katara were of the same mind. They were meant to be together. As long as Sokka didn't kill Zuko. Katara and Zuko needed something happy to happen to them. The war had made them angry and lost. Sokka could see it now. The path that they had to walk now.

"I am sorry Sokka but your sister needs me." Sokka was aware of the foot to his face, groaning in his mind that he needed to take control of his own body. Sokka fought back swinging his sword at his friend. A few times Zuko was a little short to dodge, being cut by the black blade. Sokka fought the control harder the more wounded Zuko became. That was until the woman broke his arm.

The scream in the other room brought both set of eyes to the door that exploded in Sokka's direction. Fire burned everything between Sokka and the remains of the door. That was when Sokka realized that he had control again. "Katara!" The rubble had almost concealed her. Zuko saw her hit the wall. More than a few more bone were broken.

"She is not worth your concern, Zuko." Sokka blinked as he watched the enemy healer fly through the far wall of the bedroom. Fire swirled with water. It was steam that covered the body of the enemy. In the ten years that they had fought side by side that was not one of the attacks they had used.

"Steaming Bomb!" Sokka yelled. When he turned back to his sister he knew that he should hide in a corner.

"He broke his arm fighting her control." Zuko said heading to the beaten abomination. "I am sorry Katara."

"You didn't know." She said crawling to her brother. It was evident that her leg as well as one arm was broken. "I am kinda worried about what she has been feeding you now."

"I don't think that she would ever harm me." The yard lit around where he stood. "I think she wants to be Fire Lady." Sokka saw the hurt in his sister right before she hurt him. "What is your number?"

"Three." Suki had come up with it. A system that would call Toph to who ever needed her. It was only used in case of an attack. The one attacked would force their element in to the ground causing the vibrations to reach Toph. Aang was one. Everyone knew that. Zuko was two, being the next highest rank person in the city. Katara was three waves. As Suki is either with Zuko and Sokka was with Aang they were not given a number. However if it was the Council that was attacked then whoever was there would use everything they had to get Toph's attention.

"How are you feeling?" Zuko came back to Sokka. They would see that Katara wasn't able to heal his broken arm as fast as her usual because she had only one had. "Let me help." As he had seen her do so many times Zuko moved her broken left arm as gently as he could.

"Thank you." Tears broke the lids.

"Sparky?!" They heard Toph call. She stood over the prone water bender. "Is that Yuki?"

"She is another one." Sokka said standing up. Zuko stayed on the floor with Katara to help her heal her legs. "Lets take her for questioning."

"You think Sokka?" The Earth Bender punched his shoulder. "Sugar Queen is going to need another healer? I can feel her panting and not the good kind." Sokka blushed with his sister.

"Don't worry about me. I am not taking my chances again tonight." Her body pulled away from Zuko. "Three abominations in one night is more than enough for me." Looking at her broken arm she saw his red hand print on her wrist. He hadn't meant to but he groaned standing over her. Sokka had done a number on the Fire Lord. Katara wondered if Sokka was faster or if Zuko just didn't want to hurt her brother.

"Will a tub of water help to heal faster?" Zuko whispered pulling her to her newly healed leg.

"Yes. Then I can take a look at you."

"I am not hurt." Katara poked the sword slice on his shoulder. "They will not kill me Tara. You are more important than me."

"Bathroom now, Sparky." Zuko smiled picking up his water bender. "I can walk you know."

"I know. I just need to feel you breathing." Zuko started towards the bathroom. She sighed knowing full well that she needed his strength. His warmth. His love. "The water is cold?" That was when she noticed that he held her on his lap. He sat on the ledge of the massive sunken tub.

"I don't need hot water. Water bender." She waved a hand motioning over herself. "Lives in the South pole. This is down right streaming to me."

"I will have to break you of that." She cocked an brow. "There is nothing like a warm bath." Her eyes grew at the idea. Naked with the Fire Lord. Spirits save her that sounded perfect after the day she had. "I would like to help you get undressed. Will you let me?" Katara pulled his head to her's taking his lips. That answered him. It was more than he could have asked for. "I love you."

"I know."

An hour later all the healing was done. Zuko would carry not scars of the night. She was certainly more powerful. The first thing healed was her arm. He had helped her with that. Every Cell in his body lit as she ran his hands over her own body healing the broken ribs. She was well aware of his arousal beneath her as she then turned her attentions to Zuko's body. Though she wasn't a virgin she needed to talk to him about traditions so for now she healed her sexy Lord of Fire. He had stopped her before she could heal the old scars on his belly and his eye.

"They are reminders of my old life. How you have changed me." The eye had been his reward for wanting his hero father's love, starting him on his journey. Saving Katara from the pirates had gave him the sensation that he was meant for something more. Despite tying her to a tree. From what Iroh had said, her necklace was proof she was engaged. He used it to taunt her with it. It was later in the cave that figured out that it was her mother's. That was when she took his pain. After that he never thought about it until someone pointed it out.

The other was for being Katara's hero. Saving her from his own deranged sister only to be healed by Katara after she defeated Azula. Katara could have easily left him for dead. He was the enemy to her for so many years. Yet the third time he opened his eyes she was over him calling his name. Her cool healing over his naked chest. Her salty kisses when he said thank you. So strong one minute and so weak in his arms. He loved both scars as much as he loved her.

For another hour they laid naked in each others arms. For Zuko it was a dream. Her softly breathing on his chest. At midnight she had succumb to her own exhaustion. He didn't have the heart to move her. Toph had entered the room shortly after Zuko had reheated the water. "How is she Sparky?"

"Sleeping. I think she is going to need tomorrow off." Toph snickered. "I know she will want to see Yuki. Drill her for information about more benders."

"Don't you mean that you can drill Katara?" Zuko knew full well that Toph was unable to see the glare he was giving her but he did anyway. "You should take her to bed. I will come by in the morning if she is not swayed by your temping offer. How could she give up on the Fire Lord's personal attention?" Toph rose leaving Zuko to turn Katara to her side.

"A man can hope, can't he?" He said getting out of the tub. That was right. If he gave up this throne he would be just a normal man. He could fight Aang if he needed to. Something told him that Aang wasn't going to be an issue.

"Hope for what?" She said lazily on the edge. Katara watching Zuko wrap a towel on his waist. "Was that Toph?" Zuko held a towel out to Katara as she rose herself.

"Yeah I suggest that you take a day off so that you can get some more rest." She stumbled over her soft fur rug falling into Zuko's chest. Zuko smiled.

"Would you be with me?"

"That was my plan but then I realized that you are going to want to see Yuki." She had forgot about that freak. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought her up. I could have gotten what I want."

"Don't you get sick of getting what you want?" She said. Her hips swayed as she opened the door.

"I don't get what I want. I thought that we covered this." Katara look back at him. "I would make you my wife. That is what I want."

"There are things to talk about first Zuko." His hand slid over the towel. His lips caressed her neck. She no longer wore her mother's necklace. "Come on." She pulled away from him. He had seen her go to her room before. Though this time she turned right not left. Her room was in shambles. "This room is my guest room. We can talk in here after I get dressed. Some of Sokka's clothes should fit you."

"See another thing I don't get." He said leaning on the door frame. "I was hoping to look at you all night."

"Zuko, that is just silly. You see me every day." Katara vanished into the closet. "Well every day that you are in Republic City." Zuko sat on the bed to get a better view of her. Katara smiled tossing him some underwear and a green cotton tunic. Zuko threw them back at her. Seriously how could Sokka wear them. Sure they were breathable but there is nothing better than fire silk. He groaned. Zuko was becoming the little spoiled brat again. The next thing that she threw at him was even courser than the cotton.

"Just get something for yourself. I will pick something out." Katara shook her head heading back to the bathroom. Zuko ran a hand down the piles of cloth. Stopping at something that he recognized. His black pants folded with it a red sleeveless top. Both of which he had given to Sokka on his last visit. Zuko had felt the need to replace the man's clothing after a sparing match had singed them.

"Zuko?" She was sitting on the bed watching her green slipper feet. Green and white nighty on this time to match her slippers.

"Katara?" He quickly dressed. Something was distressing her. She wouldn't look up him. She even stood up when he sat next to her. "I understand that this is kinda sudden but I can't take the loneliness."

She spun, angry, as if she was going to hit him.

"I still don't get why you left me here."

"I told you that I thought that you should have been with Aang. You were the one that found him, freed him, protecting him even against me."

She spun away from him. "Yeah but I left him to fight your sister with you. I thought that it was enough to show you that I wanted to be with you." He blinked. That was true she could have gone with Aang during the final battle. "I was so confused about the feelings I had for you and Aang. When you sat in front of Iroh's tent I knew who my heart wanted." His heart fell to the floor.

She could have been with him for all these years. "I waited for you to come out even though I knew that Iroh would never turn you away." Zuko had waited all night fidgeting until his uncle had woken up in the morning. "It was decided that you would face Azula and I couldn't handle the thought that she was going to kill you."

"Katara-"

"Shut up." He sat back down. "Aang thinks that I will go back to him once you finally reject me." I bet he would. Zuko thought. "I could have gone home a hero. I could have gone on with my life. Some young hunter or bender from the Northern tribe could have courted me. Carved me one of these." She threw her necklace at him. "What hurts the most about all this Zuko is that we don't feel worthy of the other when we are the only one that would make the other happy."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you to carve me one of those." Zuko smiled. "Talk to Sokka so he can talk to my father. Hell go talk to my father. You are the same rank as he is so he can see the potential. Even if it was just a "fake political" wedding at least I know that I would be happy. I wouldn't have to wait here for you. I am tired of waiting." Zuko took two steps to her taking her lips as she had earlier. His need stronger than she had though she would feel.

"Should we court or would you just like to wed me now?"

"I need you to talk to my father." She whispered.

"Done." She frowned. "I left the Fire Nation a week ago. Suki and I wanted to talk about weddings with your father." He said softly still holding his Katara. "Suki said that it is her island's tradition to declare that she was willing to be courted by a certain man."

"I don't care about Suki. Sokka already has her necklace."

"Well on the ship I have yours." She gasped. "Your father told me the origins of this necklace." He held up her grandmother's betrothal necklace. "After three days I convinced him to teach me how to make one. He took me hunting for the shell with just the right colors." He smiled seeing her eyes moisten. "Took me a whole day. Your village was very well fed that day. The next day I showed your father the design I wanted. He offered to carve it for me. I told him no."

"That was the moment he would have been convinced by you. No man should ever have someone else do something for the one they love most in the world. Well unless it is to deliver a baby. That is the midwife's job." Zuko had only briefly thought about children when her father had asked Zuko how many he wanted.

"I told him as many as you wanted, but my ideal would be at least one water and one fire bender. The fire bender would be the heir. Girl or boy."

"You don't think that a water bender on the Fire Nation's throne would go over well?" She laughed.

"You just want to see the world burn." He joked. It was a new saying when someone wanted to go against the idea of peace.

"Freeze is more like it." They both laughed. "Tomorrow we will go to see your cook and then you can take me to your ship."

"Anything you want my Fire Lady." The impossible happened. She was his. He was hers. Small details like where and when would have to be talked about but for now this was all Zuko could ever ask for.

"Zuko?" He heard Katara ask. When he opened his eyes he saw her concerned face. "You were asleep a long time." They were in her bathroom. She was still dressed in the red and gold nighty. "Yuki attacked me but you took the blow for me again. I was so scared. You were not healing. No mater what I did. You were touch and go all night."

"So all that was a dream?" He sank farther into the tub.


	5. Chapter 5

Bending more than Blood

I don't own avatar. If I did Aang would have married Suki or Toph.

Lithriel23: I am not mean. It was Zuko wants most in the world so he has to fight for it. Nothing about love in this world is that easy.

Chapter Five

"So all that was a dream?" He sank farther into the tub. "I finally have you for myself and it was all a dream." Zuko groaned. She gave him her tearful relief. Dream or not he wanted to be that happy. "In the morning we are going to talk. But first I need to get to my house." In his room would be but the trunk. The trunk held his promise for the future.

"Suki brought your trunk." She blushed. Zuko stood up leaving the tub. His body was still young but it felt heavy from sitting in the water for so long. How could see do that everyday? The physical strength of a water bender. He smiled. "We put it in the guest room."

"I need to get dressed." He said wrapping the towel around himself again. "Then we can talk some more."

"Like before Yuki interrupted us." He turned to face Katara. She was attack last night. He didn't remember that. She had said that he had taken the attack.

"Did she hurt you?"

"No." His heart settled down. "Her bending was not water." Katara said. Zuko turned back at her. "She is an earth bender that has been slowly poisoning you. I think that was why you were not getting better until this morning." He pulled her into his chest. "I thought you were going to die. I was so angry with her and with you." Zuko pulled her closer to him. "Then you said my name. You said it that way when I healed last time too." She fingered the matching scars on his chest. "Please don't do that again."

"I can't promise you that Tara. I did it out of fear and love." He said feeling her breath him into his chest. "What is really know about Yuki?"

"She moved to the North Pole to get away from the way. That is how she knew how to cook for you."

"So she is not a blood bender. I didn't have to fight Sokka." She shook her head. "Thank the spirits." She followed him into her spare room. Dismayed by the disarray that he found in the trunk.

"I wanted to find you some clothes that were not destroyed." She held the wooden box. It bore her name. Zuko moved to kneel at her feet. "I haven't opened it." She handed it back to Zuko. He pushed it back to Katara. This was the moment. The moment there was finally balance in his life.

"Please open it Katara." She sat on the bed with the box on her lap. Zuko forced himself to breath. "You will understand the truth of my visit." Gingerly she opened the gold latch on the red oak carved box. "I hope you like it." The second she saw the betrothal necklace and ring her eyes widened slamming the box shut. "Katara?"

"How? When? Did he say yes?"

Zuko laughed at her questions. "I went to your father a week ago. I convinced him that I could never live without you. Then he taught me what I needed about your tribe." Zuko's hands covered hers on the box. "And yes he said yes." She jumped into his arms throwing him to the floor. "Finally."

"Can we get married here?" It was amazing how her mind worked the same as his. "There is a Blue Moon in three months and I would like to get marry during that."

"Once in a Blue Moon." She smiled. "That is when Sokka was thinking for his wedding too. Something about if ex-girlfriend seeing that he was happy." Yue would be so happy for him.

"At least you don't have to worry about me becoming a moon spirit."

"No, you are my water goddess." She kissed him. "Just tell me this is not a dream." She punched him making his winch and smile.

"No Zuko. I am going to be your wife." They sat up still kissing. One hand on each others head the other on the back. "Zuko make love to-"

"Zuko!" Sokka opened the door. He looked panicked but smiling. "Sorry." Katara shot daggers at her brother.

"Tara." Zuko got her attention enough to place the necklace on her neck. "Now you can kill your brother."

"Please don't Katara. Suki said yes." Zuko smiled at his water tribe friends. "She is going to be my wife. You can't kill me now."

"So you have to interrupt me as Zuko proposed?" Sokka pushed his sister out of the way to land on the floor next to Zuko. "Sokka!"

"Do you think that it will work?"

"Your sister asked me before I could say anything." Sokka clasped their hands together. "I am just not sure what the wedding would look like. The Fire Nation is red, black and gold. Water tribe's colors are blue, white and silver."

"Then add in Suki's green, cream and yellow." The men seemed to think about if for a moment. Neither leaving the floor. Both Zuko and Katara smelled the shift in the wind. When Zuko looked up at her Aang was taking her away. "Aang?" Fury filled Zuko seeing her necklace fall smoldering. It was nothing compared to the look that Katara gave Aang.

She broke free, landing in the pond out back her house. "Katara?" Sokka asked. "Aang?" None of them had seen Aang this angry without being in the Avatar state. Wind blew around them as the pond under her froze. Confident Katara against a hurt Aang. Zuko knew who would win. None of them. Katara was her own woman but Aang would always be there hurting. That would in turn hurt Katara which would cause him pain.

"Stop it." Zuko called. Aang turned on the Fire Lord. "We are adults now Aang. Let's have tea and talk about this."

"He destroyed it." She shifted forms. Water danced around her. It was just like when they had met the Seahawk captain. Zuko needed to end this before they destroyed everything. Sokka held his friend back. That was not going to happen.

"It is nothing that I can't fix or remake, my love. I have the other half of the shell still." Zuko stepped closer to Katara only to be blocked by fire. Zuko deflected it. "I am going to speak my mind and you are going to listen to me, Aang." The boy's bending fell. Zuko turned to Katara who reluctantly dropped her water. "I am so sorry for not taking her sooner but I thought to give you a shot to make her happy. I want to keep peace between all the nations, Aang. That was my one goal."

"So why now Zuko? What is now the right time to take her from me?"

"I don't feel that she was ever fully with you, Aang." The avatar gazed at the woman that he had loved for so long. "Katara had so many chances to leave if she wanted to. Or so she tells me." He blocked the whip that was aimed at his head. "Aang, she could have moved on but she was waiting for something. If it was you why would she have hesitated?"

"I told you that I was confused. It was because I had feelings for Zuko." Katara stopped talking when Zuko put a hand up.

"What is so great about him? He has tried to kill us more than once. He nearly goes on a life changing mission with you and you are ready to drop anything for him."

"It wasn't life changing for her." Zuko took a step closer to the Avatar. "That Katara is still this Katara. I changed. I saw your point of view. Then I saw her. Really saw her. Katara was a determined young lady worth fighting with. Our bending are so evenly matched. Our minds think a like." Green and steel came over the fence landing feet from Zuko and Aang. Zuko slid his foot to hold off Toph.

"I was with her the longest."

"You are my best friend. That isn't enough for me." Zuko felt her hand in his. "I needed someone who could match my temper. Someone that could draw something other than hate from me." That seemed to hurt Aang. "I couldn't figure out why I am so very angry at Ba Sing Se. Zuko had unknowingly bent my heart to his will. Then when he went back to the Fire Nation he took it with him. He brought it back when he wanted to teach you. I wasn't will to take it back from him."

Zuko didn't like it but Katara got closer to Aang. There was no saying what the boy was going to do. "The two day trip was most certainly an enlightening one. Zuko showed me his love in more ways than one. When you found me on the dock I was deciding what I was going to do. I, to this day, still haven't forgiven that man for killing my mother but when I forgave Zuko it was because I could see how much he loved me and how much he wanted to give me half of his heart."

"Katara-"

"I am sorry that you think that I loved you that way." She touched his face. "I have loved Zuko for so long now. He has finally come to claim me and I am willing to go with him." Aang hugged Katara. Zuko wasn't jealous of their closeness. Katara was always so motherly to Aang. "I don't think that much will change. I will still be here in Republic City. I will still teach at the school." Zuko knew that he would have her live in his house though. It is larger. More rooms for visiting guests and friends. That way when he was at the Palace he would know she was safe.

"Toph?" Aang turned to his earth bending master. "What do you say about Sokka and Suki getting married?"

"About bloody time." Suki hugged Toph, causing the girl to blush. "Suki and Sokka are soul mates just like Sparky and Sugar Queen. Your Earth Bending needs practice if you could feel it Twinkle Toes."

"So I am destined to love and not be loved." The boy shot up in the air. Zuko blasted up to the boy punching him to the ground.

"Aang, you are a fool that has gone too far now." Katara tried to hold Zuko back. "Don't you dare even think about talking to be about not being loved."

"What do you know about it? It's not like you were ever left alone." As Aang said it he realized who he was talking to. "Zuko, I'm sorry." Zuko pulled his fists to his sides. Iroh taught him to use words not anger so that is what he needed to do now.

"Aang, you have all of us. We are your friends. We all love you in our own way. You are Katara's best friend." Aang saw her smile. "Sokka's food buddy." That was true. Sokka and Aang had tons of fun seeing who could eat the oddest things. "Suki's mentor." The warrior sought balance in the air nomad way as she entered into the new phase of her life. "Toph's play thing." Aang laughed at that. What else would you call it. They were constantly trying to knock the other off their feet.

"For me you were always so much. My fear for the future of my nation. My honor if I gave you over to my father. My hope to return my nation to the peace that it had seen before the war. The protector to the girl I liked. My student. My friend. The one person I knew would love Katara as much as I do. I love you like a brother. Nothing is going to change that. So don't talk to me about how you are unloved."

"Zuko?" A man didn't cry and by the spirits he wasn't.

"I am okay, Tara." He kissed her hand. How could anything so beautiful love him like this? "Are we okay Aang?" The Avatar nodded. "I would like to have Katara to myself for a while. There are things to do now that she is my fiancee."

"We should go tell Iroh the news tomorrow." He smiled at her. "That was what you were thinking."

"I bet that he would love to see you again." Though Iroh had died four years into Zuko's reign, Zuko still talked to his uncle. They were all there when the tea tree was planted next to Iroh's grave. They have see that the funeral of the great general was nothing to weep at. They would tell stories of his odd tales, drinking tea until they burst. Katara had never left the young Fire Lord's side for a full week. Expecting some fall out from the death of the only family Zuko had.

"Ow." Everyone turned to Sokka. "What?" Suki motioned towards Katara and Zuko. "Spirits woman he almost died last night. I haven't haven't had a chance to talk to them seriously about it."

"Why don't we go in and talk about the wedding?" Katara pulling Zuko.

"Aang?" The boy stood up. "Would you marry us?" Sokka burst out laughing at Zuko's words only to get hit by Suki and Katara.

"I don't know, Zuko."

"You will regret if you are not part of the wedding Aang. You are a bigger part of their lives than you could know. If Katara not found you they would never have found each other." Toph smiled. "Just officiate it." That was when Toph frowned. "Why would someone attack the council building If you are all here?"

"What is going on Toph?"

"In the house now." None of them left. They were all in defensive stances. "Don't any of you ever listen to me?" With a wave of her hands the earth shoved them all into the open wall sealing it behind them. "Fools the whole lot of them."


	6. Chapter 6

Bending more than Blood

I don't own avatar. If I did Aang would have married Suki or Toph.

Toph is a little OOC but I feel that she would react like this. Sorry if you don't like it.

Chapter Six

"In the house now." None of them left. They were all in defensive stances. "Don't any of you ever listen to me?" With a wave of her hands the earth shoved them all into the open wall sealing it behind them. "Fools the whole lot of them." Half the council was here in one place. Damn them being friends. Toph sighed.

The house shook, dust fell from the ceiling. Katara's collectable china shattered to the floor. Zuko held her under him as Aang reinforced the house just in time for the roof to be blown off. Her fire bender pulled away to deflect some rubble. Blinking the dust out of her eyes Katara saw one of the men that were attacking. They were part of the rebellion. Just as she gasped, Zuko felt her go limp in his arms. A green dagger implanted in her chest.

The egg brown man above them shot to the ground using a chunk of the roof. That was a water bender. How could he attack Katara? They all considered her a hero. Two more appeared in her house. One most certainly a fire bender, black hair but green eyes. The other an earth bender with similar features. They could be siblings. Zuko thought. Nothing mattered at that point. Katara was hurt. He had to get her out of there. First to make sure that she was alright other than the dagger. It wasn't near her heart which seemed to be the target. That was a good sign right?

Aang knew who they were too. The Fire Colonies Rebels. The only people that didn't want Zuko to be Fire Lord. As if Aang would allow Ozai rule again. While the Avatar fought them off as best as he could he feared for his love. Something snapped in the spirit realm. The feeling of Yue, cool on the edge of his mind. Aang turned back to Zuko and Katara. Zuko stood holding a very limp water bender in his arms. Only in Aang's nightmares had he seen the Zuko that stood there. Katara lay in his arms as a tornado of blue fire and gold lightning. It was the closet a single bender could get to the Avatar State.

Aang saw Toph open up a wall allowing Suki to crawl to the pond with a crushed leg. Sokka fought with the earth bender. His black sword warping as the invader touched it. Blue fire interrupted their duel. Zuko seemed to be turned down as he neared his brother and sister in law. The Earth Bender sent flying to clear the way. It had been years since anyone had seen the harden gold eyes. "Zuko?" Sokka asked as the Fire Lord lay his future wife in the red pond. He turned briefly looking at Sokka.

"Sokka, she is dead. Poison." Suki said holding up the dagger. Sokka knew that make and model. Mercedes West, metal bender, swore to him that she wasn't working for the rebels. Yet it was her design Suki held up. In the blade was a glass tube that would break releasing poison or acid. Now it was being used on his sister.

"Mercedes?" Toph frowned. Suki saw two Toph's officers running off while the others tried to contain the battle.

"Let's go, Zuko." Sokka said kneeling to the women he loved. "They are going to pay for this." Suki could only watch as their men fought with the three powerful invaders. All three of her friends in tears. All three losing their calm at the loss of one their own. Only Zuko keeping his powers in check. He had to if they were all going to get out of the ruined house. Sokka was thrown back by a rock in the chest. Aang sent flying by the water bender when he was distracted by Sokka's scream.

From what Suki could see the fire bender was the leader. Both fire benders calm, Zuko angry as the invader smiled. He held a hand up to the others smirking. "So the water bending whore is dead. Boys get the Avatar." Zuko lost whatever control he had left. Toph and Aang barely rose a dome over the pond which didn't stand a chance in hell if Toph had not kept bending the earth around them. The earth melted into lava that Aang would cool with the water of the pond. The melting earth cast light on the six in the sphere.

"Aang, you have to stop him before we are cooked to death." Suki said through the tears.

"Sparky keeps this up he will destroy-" Toph suddenly dropped the bending. Zuko knelt in the center of the house looking up at something. Despite the fierce battle his heart beat was so weak. All of his energies dial down so Toph could barely feel him. It was as if he was dead too.

"It is not just the blood benders she was feared." Zuko pointed to the man twitching in the corner. "Toph, he is the leader of the rebellion." Sokka picked up his sister as Aang helped Suki stand. He went to Zuko. The Fire Lord stumbled to his feet. "I am sorry Sokka. I failed you."

"Maybe. Aang take us to the port." Sokka said handing over Katara to Zuko. "The ocean saved Yue maybe it can save Katara."

"I said the same thing." Zuko whispered into her hair. "That princess from the Northern Water Tribe took her away."

"YUE!" How dare she take his sister without telling him? "Give her back." Nothing happened. "Aang-" The younger man shook his head. Toph standing next to the Avatar. Aang turned into her armor. The man with the plans couldn't think of a plan that would bring back his sister. Which frustrated him. Even more since his best friend held Katara close to his chest. The woman that was more like his mother and he couldn't save her. Again. "This isn't fair. You two were finally happy." That didn't help Zuko's new found composure. "She would have made the best Fire Lady ever."

"I know." Sokka heard Katara in Zuko's voice. "It would have been the peace she dreamed about all these years." Now they really were total opposites. Sokka couldn't take it.

"There has to be-"

"Sokka please stop!" Suki begged in tears.

"Aang please go get her father and Gran Gran. We will need help with the funeral." Zuko said letting his voice crack. "Sokka, you and Suki will be staying at my house for the time being. Once the report comes in we are going to talk about what the hell caused this." Electricity sparked off Zuko's shoulders. "Then we are going to have the Imperial Army help quell this rebellion."

Two days later Hakoda and Gran Gran walked into Zuko's house. Even the house spoke of Katara's influence on the young Fire Lord. All the decorations were that of the Fire Nation however the furniture was covered in furs, rustic and simplistic. Flowers of all kinds filled every room placed just so. Even the Fire Lord himself was wearing something a kin to what was wore by Sokka.

"Zuko, Dad and Gran Gran are here." Sokka said. Zuko stood up, adjusting himself to look presentable only to have Gran Gran hug him.

"We understand what happened. We don't blame you." Hakoda tried to smile. He could not. The look on this boy mirrored the one that he wore when Kya died.

"I will leave you to say good bye. Tomorrow we will send her to the sea. It will be a full moon." Gran Gran wouldn't let the boy go. "Katara wouldn't want you to cry." He said to the elder. Gran Gran back away nodding. "I understand that this is a time for family."

"You have been family longer than you proposing to her." Hakoda said. Zuko stopped at the door. "My daughter loved you for a long time. This is the place for you." Zuko reached for the door. "I know what you are going through." Of anyone Hakoda and Sokka did understand on level. Zuko blamed himself. Katara was dead because he was Fire Lord. The rebel's didn't want him to be. Zuko didn't know who they would rather have. If it brought Katara back to him he would give it all up.

"Then you know that I have duty to find the people that did this to her." Zuko started out again. Sokka was next to stop him without saying anything. "I am just going to the prison. Toph promised me the file."

"Just as you went with her for our Mom I am going with you for her." Sokka picked up his boomerang and sword at the door.

"I can't. I have to do this alone. Your sister would use her ocean powers on me if something happened to you." Sokka saw the fear in Zuko's eyes.

"Fuck that Zuko." Zuko frowned. "You became my brother the moment that she said yes to you. The hell if I am letting you go hunting without me." Sokka crossed his arms. "Besides I will get it twice as bad if you die. Yue would bring her back." He smiled at his Fire Nation brother. Zuko sighed. "Aang is already in talks."

"What?" Zuko rushed out the door. The rebels wanted to kill Aang. Why wold he walk right into the trap? Toph was about to knock when a panicked disheveled Fire Lord opened the door. Behind her, her new second, Shun, catching her as she nearly fell over. "Toph!"

"Sparky?"

"How could you let Aang go alone?" Zuko snapped. She should have expected this. Katara wasn't here to calm him anymore. "What if there are more radicals ready to take out the Avatar?"

"Sparky relax. Suki and five other Kyoshi warriors are with him, plus his personal guard and a team of my best men." Zuko didn't seem to relax. "Dammit Zuko. He will be safe from everything but another wind bender." She felt him sigh. "Get in your damn house." She pushed him.

Sokka caught the stumbling man. All three men looked down at Toph. She was in a mood today. Shun sighed. "Sorry Toph."

"Just because she died doesn't mean you have to take up all her responsibility." Shun knew that voice. It was the one that she had come back into the office with. She barked orders before locking herself in her office. No one moved until Shun had gone in to comfort the woman. By then all the officers had heard of the Master Water Bender's murder by the rebels. "You have a country to run. Aang still has to bring balance to the world. Well Sokka has to be Sokka. That is a full time job."

"Shut up, Toph." Sokka growled. This was no time to pick on him.

"No! You shut up!" She screamed. Shun reached for her. "You all act like it is the end of the world. Sugar Queen-" Toph cracked. Shun held her to his chest. "She died. I fail to protect my first female friend." They fell to the floor. "None of you asked how I felt about it. None of you are thinking about anything but yourselves. I have no time to grieve for her because I have been the one trying to stop this rebellion, run this city and protect the Avatar." Toph threw the file at Zuko. "Aang left me to get your family. Sokka has been looking after Suki and planning the funeral. Zuko has not left her body. She was my friend too but I am the last one so I got all the responsibility dumped on me. ME! Katara was my best friend. You two are assholes."

"I am so sorry Toph." Zuko said quietly on his knees. "I am failing her memory. I have failed you too." She punched him. "I should never have yelled at you. Some times I forget that you are not your element." He pulled the armor clad girl into his arms. "Do you want to see her?" The girl nodded. "Sokka."

"I am on it. You go read your file. Hawky Jr. should be in there." Shun picked up the papers as his boss left with her friend.

"Thank you." The quiet man said. Zuko looked up at the man. Shun's green eyes watered. "It is so hard to see her in pain like this. She is so strong but this seems to have broken her."

"I wish she would have come sooner."

"We did. You were like that." The man pointed to Toph. "Toph tried to reach for you but she kept seeing your heart break. I took her home. Watching her heart break because of this hurts my own. I will never get her house back to normal." Zuko took the pages from the man. "I knew Katara. She saved my village as the painted lady."

"The river spirit?" The play said something about that. Zuko remembered that. "That was the kind of woman she was. She would give her life to help others. I swore to her that I would protect her. I failed. I am not going to let that happen to Aang."

"Yes. We should get to work then." Shun picked through the papers in the file that Zuko dropped on his desk. The Fire Lord wrote a quick note on paper then moved to the hawk. "This is the roster and the official rotation of the guards on the Avatar." Zuko was not impressed that it was written down. "That is not the way they are running the rotation. Toph made sure that even if they were watched they wouldn't have a weak spot."

"What are the city defense like for tomorrow?"

"Everyone not with the Avatar will be either teamed with Imperial Army troops or guards for the Fire Lady. That leads me to the event." Zuko sat in his chair. "Generals Li, Smellerbee, Longshot from the Army, Master Haru and The Duke, as well as myself, have offered ourselves for the Honor Guard. Councilor Sokka has said the final decision was yours."

"Fire Nation Tradition has the body burned after it is placed on an alter by the family of the loved one. My father and uncle moved my grandfather. Toph and I moved my uncle. I will move her. If Sokka wants to help he can. From what Katara wanted I know that there will only be a single torch on the boat. I will light it before we send the boat out. Gran Gran will be singing the prayers in the native tongue. At that point I, being her husband to be, has to watch the boat until it meets the horizon so the moon takes her. That is the funeral rites for a water bender in the south. She was the last one too."

"After this I think that there will be an influx of water benders in the city before they make their way south. Just from the royal procession there are ten. Queen Yuki, the late princess' cousin has requested that she have an audience when you are ready. King Kuei and the queen have become close these last few years. It seems they want to make Katara's Law International."

"That is wonderful news." Shun smiled. "Are you really a police officer? You would make a great chamberlain."

"This is all what Toph is letting me talk about." Zuko let her good eyebrow rise. "Unofficially there are going to be two groups clashing tomorrow. Pro-Zuko group in town has almost doubled in numbers in light of the Fire Lady's passing. Toph is expecting blood benders too."

Times like this made Zuko want his uncle to help him make decisions. What would Iroh do? What would Katara do? "The gods hate me." Both were dead. He was not ready to rule without either one. He had to start now.

"That is probably true if half of what Toph told me was true. However you have at least a few friends that are willing to help." Shun said. "Please I have a request." The young man ran a hand through his hair. "Don't push Toph too much. She has a lot on her plate. Losing Katara is harder on her than she has shown."

"I will try."


	7. Chapter 7

Bending more than Blood

I don't own avatar. If I did Aang would have married someone else.

Chapter Seven

"The gods hate me." Both were dead. Zuko was not ready to rule without either Iroh or Katara. He had to start now.

"That is probably true if half of what Toph told me was true. However you have at least a few friends that are willing to help." Shun said. "Please I have a request." The young man ran a hand through his hair. "Don't push Toph too much. Losing Katara is harder on her than she has shown. She has a lot on her plate."

"I will try." Looking up at the man Zuko saw the little smile that Toph used to have when she teased Sokka. "Do you have feelings for Toph?" He blinked at Zuko before grinning widely. "You are in for a trip. Be prepared for bruises." Though Toph had not hit him in years Zuko still felt the sting from the bruises. "Punches are how she shows affection."

"I know. She is so cute." Both men laughed. Toph was anything but cute. "One day I want to be worthy of her." Zuko knew that feeling.

"Toph respects boldness." Shun began to nod.

Shun turned so seriously. "I can't say anything to any of my friends. No one would believe me. Toph is so _tough_, you know? It is killing me that she is crying because of what she shows the world. Toph letting me see her weak like this gives me hope."

"Even when she was younger she never let anyone get that close to her." Zuko sighed leaning on the desk. "Katara once told me about a spa day they had. That was the only time that she had seen Toph show her inner pain. Even on her field trip she didn't touch on it. I half expected her to. She gave me nothing to work with so I was annoyed. Back then I tried really hard to have them trust me. When it came to Toph I didn't even have to work for her trust."

"I can see that. One day I will see her open up to someone, if not me." Shun suddenly cleared his throat. "The carpenters will bring the boat to the beach at six in the morning in case there are any issues with leaks. Katara will be placed in the boat at sunset." Zuko saw Toph enter the room. From the look on her face Zuko could tell that she had heard some of of what Shun had said. "I feel that the honor guard should carry her to the beach. The final selection should be you, Sokka, Suki, if she is up to it, and Toph. It would only be fair."

Toph spun the man around. "Shun-" His eyes widened. "you really need to start thinking about-" Sokka gasped as the man kissed their metal bender. "Shun please don't." She whispered. Toph whispered! Maybe it really was the end of the world just like Zuko's heart told him it was.

"Take her home, Shun." Shun smiled at the gasp that Toph gave as her up bridal style. Sokka nearly fainted from the sight. "Sokka, please ask Suki if she wants to be honor guard." Zuko ignored the warrior's shocked mutterings about what he had just seen. There was other things that the Fire Lord had to take care of. Namely finding eleven orange and blue water lilies and six ice white calla lilies.

"Where are you going?"

"To find her bridal bouquet." Yesterday Zuko had gone to all the central florists only to find no one who had the rare lily. Today he would head to the fire district. With any luck he would find someone. "You know the rooms for your family. I will return for supper."

Sokka turned his brother around, before Zuko got to the door. "Don't do all this alone. She wouldn't want you to revert back to your old self."

"I know. Trust me I know." Zuko touched the pendant he had made. "There is nothing in me to revert back to. Tara took all I had with her when Yue took her from me."

"Zuko." Sokka looked away ashamed.

"I don't blame Yue for this. I can think of no one more suited to take Tara to the spirit realm but I made a promise to her and I am not breaking it." Sokka hugged Zuko. "I am sending her off as my water bending wife. I want to show the spirits that they have someone great among them."

Sokka released Zuko. "I think I know the place." Sokka headed to the open door. "I found it when Suki and I were planning our wedding. Really Katara brought us there."

"Sokka-"

"Zuko, I was too young when our mother was killed. For a long time I couldn't see my mother's face when I thought about her. All I saw was Katara's. Seeing her laying there I see my mother not my sister. She was my sister, my only friend, my reason to become a warrior, the reason I was even with Aang. Everything I have done I did to protect her." Sokka looked to the floor. "I swore that I would keep her safe when my father went off to fight your father. She was the water bending princess and I was the only man left in the village."

The determination in the warrior's eyes was the same stubborn look Katara gave him. Zuko understood all the lives she had touched. Her echo was in everyone he knew. Sokka's determination. Aang's pout. Toph's stance. Some of his maids even smiled like Katara. When was he going to stop noticing her in everything? "As her brother and protector it is my duty to send her off as the princess that she was. If you are going to send her off as the Princess of the water tribe, and the Fire Lady I am going to be there to help you."

"Then lets make the Gods envious." Sokka smiled. "Our Tara will be a legend."

Leave to Sokka to know what was needed. Right in the front window were the flowers Zuko had planned for her. He stopped at the door way. The woman in the shop stood next to Katara. Zuko fought the urge to run to her. _Tara is gone. She is with her mother now._ He said to himself. The image stepped closer to him turning sad looking to the flowers he had come for. Gently she reached for them. A tear fell from her eyes causing him to reach for her. The blue to orange water lily began to glow as if it really was the fire it resembled.

"_I love them. Thank you, Zuko."_ He clamped his eyes, letting his own tears fall. When he opened them again she was gone. The lump in his throat made it very hard to breath.

"I am glad." He briefly smiled.

"Your Majesty?" The woman fell to a knee. Her earth Kingdom features stood out to Zuko. Thin but muscular. Brown hair and green eyes. The small girl child, of six or seven, behind her looked like the florist but with blue eyes. Katara liked this place because she was testing or training the small girl. "Katara head to your room. You have lessons." The girl ignored her mother.

"You are Sifu Katara's husband." Zuko knelt to the girl. "I was named after her because she saved me at birth."

"Sifu Katara was a great healer." The girl nodded proudly. Though she looked to Sokka before turning sad. "Oh sweety there is no need to cry."

"But she is never going to come to see me ever again. She died. She was happy the last time that she came to see me. She said that she was going to be the Fire Lady. Then she came to us before you got here. She was so pretty in her tenshi dress. She told me she would watch me from the spirit world." Sokka made a noise. "She said that she wanted to keep training as a water bender."

"Is that the lessons that your mother was talking about?" Zuko asked the girl in his arms. There was a special connection to this girl. "Sifu Katara was a great water bender. I have faith that if you remember her teachings you will be just as good as her." The girl pulled away gasping wide eyed. Part of Zuko imagined that this was what it was like to have a child with his Katara. "But you have to practice. My Katara practiced all the time. Can you do that for her?" The girl nodded. "After the funeral I will find you a new teacher. Then when you are good enough I will spar with you." The girl bounced with joy. Yeah she was cute.

"I will go practice right now." She started to run away only to stop at her mother. "Did you hear that Mom? Sparky is going to spar with me." Sokka stifled a laugh. Zuko felt a groan leave his lips. Damn Toph. "I am going to practice now." Then the child was gone.

"That was what Tara was like as a child." Sokka said with a bitter laugh.

"Thank you Fire Lord Zuko. She hasn't wanted to practice since I told her about her Sifu." The woman dried her eyes with a handkerchief. "What do I owe this honor?"

"The Water Bender Master Katara's funeral is tomorrow. I wish to have to make a special arrangement for her." Zuko said in the most regal voice he could muster. Just as he had told the girl he needed to go on living. He had a kingdom to run. He had laws to pass and blood benders to capture. Her goal was now his. It was any good husband would do. Right?

"Of course, my lord." She stood reaching for her paper and a pencil. "It will be the only thing I work on tonight. Please let me know what you would like." Zuko picked eleven of the palm sized flowers. The normally limp stems were stiff. Zuko's hand easily wrapped around all eleven stems looking for the other flowers. Sokka pointed. Hidden on a wall of colors stood out the purest white he had ever seen.

"She really loved these flowers." Sokka said proudly. Zuko couldn't fault his reasoning. They were always what Katara sent over for his personal room. "She told me once that they were regal." Zuko stifled a laugh. That would be something she would say when she thought that no one was listening. Especially when she was talking about the vases in his room.

Zuko took six white calla lilies. Eleven years of him knowing her. Six years for the years that he realized that he loved her. The first five years he had either been hunting Aang or with Mai. Even then Mai left him for calling Katara's name. It that time Katara and Zuko had become close. Closer than Aang liked. Katara was Zuko's other half so they understood each other. Likes, dislikes. Colors, shopping habits, favorite foods. Sokka had similar tastes to Katara for the most part.

Between them Sokka and Zuko picked the handle, the ribbon and some tear drop crystals. Seeing the sketches that the woman was drawing quickly. Zuko smiled when he felt someone breath in his ear. It was like she was trying to tell him what she wanted. "This is more of a bridal bouquet. Would you much rather have a funeral ring?" The woman asked.

"Had she not been murdered we would have been married so I am treating her as if we were." The woman said nothing more on the topic. Sokka stayed to haggle price while Zuko went out for fresh air. He had taken a smaller set of lilies with the same blue ribbon and crystal for himself. His memento. "This is harder than I thought it would be. One day I hope you forgive me." He said into the flowers.

"She is not going to charge you." Sokka said closing the door.

"Send her money on Monday. I will not take the woman's hard work. And make a list of Katara's students that would be able to teach this girl."

"Already planned on it buddy." Sokka was just as cheerful as normal. Shopping always made the man feel better. One month with the water tribe warrior had taught Zuko that. "Where are we off to now?"

"Next to the dress shop. Her wedding dress should be finished by now." It would match the bouquet. The white gown hung for all the world to see when they walked into the shop. "We will also need size seven slippers."

"Did you pick this, Zuko?" Sokka scrutinized it. "It looks like what Toph was wearing when we first met her."

"I found it in her diary." There was no way he was going to tell Sokka of the other things that were on that page. As the pages following were about a very graphic dream she had about Zuko, he should not have read that. He half waited for her to water whip him. From looking through the five books Zuko realized that Katara had feeling for him since he tied her to the tree. The dream she wrote down there was inspiring.

"I can see her not letting us know but this annoys me." Zuko turned to the angry tone. "If she wanted something this pretty and girly I am sure that Suki would have taken her shopping." Sokka clenched his fist. "She never asked for anything. Not really. Her field trip and her law. That is all. Everything she did was for us."

"I know. Even on our field trip she never asked for anything. I had to force her to sleep." The warrior stormed from the shop. "Please have these delivered to my home. Give it to Gran Gran. She will know what to do with it." Zuko then followed his brother in law.

"Sorry. I know that I shouldn't be angry with her." Sokka said leaning on the shop window. "She just makes me so angry. Katara should have asked for more. She should have been more selfish."

"Back in Ba Sing Se she told me she that if she wanted anything it would turn out bad. She even used you as an example. The universe loves to prove you wrong." Sokka groaned. "You should be angry with me. I was the one that let her die. I am not going to let that one go."

"If you had saved her there would just have been another attack. And another and another until they did finally kill you or her." That didn't make Zuko feel better. "That is the nature of who we are. When we were young it was you and the Fire Nation. Then it was your father trying to kill us. Now it is this rebellion. The universe wants us on our toes."

"Maybe that is true. It doesn't make me feel awful. I finally asked her to be my wife and the first thing that happens is she is killed. I can't help but feel that she was made a target because I loved her. She was safer with Aang." The flowers were so soft on his thumb. Just like her skin.

"That is not true."

"What?"

"It was because she was the water bender healer for the Avatar that they attacked. If she was killed then there would be no one to heal Aang. Then there would be no one to stop them from killing you." There were so many flaws in that logic. There were other healers and soldiers. Katara had already trained everyone in town. Then the Kyoshi warriors were the best in the world. It is very hard for assassins to get to him.

"_I would have been safe with you. Just as my love protects you."_ Zuko turned to her voice. From the corner of his eye he saw her next to the cabbage stall. Turning to it she was gone. He groaned. Zuko's head was spinning. Damn he didn't remember to drink his tea this morning. Yuki's poison was getting to him again.

"Zuko?" Sokka caught the Fire Lord as he fell. "Crap." Two of the Kyoshi warriors were running towards them. "What is going on with you, man?" There was no answer. Sokka didn't see anything wrong with him.


	8. Chapter 8

Bending more than Blood

I don't own avatar. If I did Aang would have married someone else.

Chapter Eight

"Zuko?" Sokka caught the Fire Lord as he fell. "Crap." Two of the Kyoshi warriors were running towards them. "What is going on with you, man?" There was no answer. Sokka didn't see anything wrong with him. This would be too much if his best friend and his sister died in the same week.

"_It's too early for you to be here, Zuko." Katara sat on a mushroom as tall as he was. Finely woven, blue silk hagoromo floated around her. Little Katara was part right. His Tara was a tennnyo. She couldn't be more beautiful as she was now. Then he saw her bright red and blue betrothal necklace. "Today is my funeral isn't?"_

"_That is why my broken soul can't go back to my body." The sad smile on her face made him feel guilty. "You shouldn't be here. There are place to see and people to meet. Your coronation, our wedding, the children we were supposed to have. Two little girls just like their mother. Dying of old age in each others arms."_

"_You want three of me to drive you crazy?" She laughed falling into his arms. It wasn't a fast fall. She wasn't half the weight she was in the real world. "I would wanted to have more than two, Zuko. A few tiny little boys and at least two girls."_

"_That won't happen if you don't go back to your body, my love." Katara lowered her face pulling away from him._

"_I couldn't find my body, Zuko. The poison that was injected into me also cut my binding. I need that to get back. Three days have passes so I am now cut from it now."_

"_No! I will not take that Tara. I can't let you leave me yet." If he had his bending he would be surrounded with blue flames. _

"_You have to move on, Zuko. I can't go back to that world." Zuko threw a punch at the mushroom. It screamed in pain. "Zuko!"_

"_What on Earth?" It was as if her cold water froze the fire inside his mind._

"_Mushy, are you okay?" Katara placed a hand over the quickly forming bruise. _

"_Don't worry about me, Katara, but you need to get him out of here. I bet someone heard that." She kissed the injury which began to glow. "I will forgive him. I understand his pain."_

"_I am sorry." Katara pulled her love to a clear field where her mother and Iroh were having a picnic. "This has to be quick." Iroh helped Kya stand just in time for Zuko's knees to fall out from under him._

"_What happened, Katara?" Her mother asked. Zuko noted the resemblance. That was probably why Sokka couldn't remember his real mother. They were almost twins. _

"_Fire Lord Zuko?" It was really too late. Katara was with Iroh and her mother. He was never getting her back._

"_I can't go back, Uncle." His uncle pulled Zuko into his arms. "I can't live without her."_

"_It took you long enough to realize it." Iroh whispered. "I am afraid that you are too late." Zuko began to cry just like he had when he was first told that Ursa was dead. Katara watched Zuko turn into the ten year old boy. "Hush now, my boy. There are still people that need you in the other realm."_

"_I don't care." Little Zuko cried. This was the hardest thing that Katara had ever seen and she was the cause. Her mother held her. "Katara is the other side of my soul. She changed my life. I can't live with out her. She is my true love."_

"_I know." Iroh looked up at Katara. "Your mother would care if you didn't love her anymore. Little Katara would miss you. What about the gang and your subjects?" _

"_My mother is dead."_

"_No, she isn't, Zuko." Now he was the teenager. So full of rage and hate. "She is in the Earth Kingdom. That is as far as I traced her. I think that you should go find her."_

"_To what point Uncle? I can't introduce her to Katara. I have the throne. What is she going to do?"_

"_Zuko, she is your mother." Katara snapped, hands on her hips frustration on her face. "Call it my wedding gift." Now he was the twenty year old that signed the papers for Republic City. How she loved that man. So full of wonder and joy. "I will watch over you as you look for her and if I can I will come down to meet her but you will not be able to do that from here."_

_Katara pulled the man to his feet. He was now twenty two. That was when he tried to grow a beard to look more like Roku. She wondered what happened then to be the important moment in his life. The beard had looked silly on him so she teased him every chance she got. The next time she saw Zuko it was gone. "I love you, Katara. You know that but I need you to be selfish."_

"_Having you here is me being selfish. Yue told me that I was not allowed to pull you here but I can't be here and not have you hold me." She was crying. "I love you, Zuko. I always have but there are things that you need to do. I need you to pass my blood bending law. I need you to make the Fire Nation all we dreamed of. I need you to find your mom. Like I have. If anyone else to the crown, the wars would start all over again."_

"_Fight to come back to me, Tara. I can't make this all happen without you. You have until the moon rises. Please, Gods please." She shook her head._

"_KATARA!" A man yelled from the trees. It sounded like Aang. Why was she so scared of the Avatar?_

"_Crap." She pushed Zuko into his uncle. "You need to get out of here."_

"_I will take him back." Iroh volunteered. She kissed Zuko once before he was pulled away. "I am sorry Zuko."_

The next thing that he realized was the light through his eye lids. "Katara!" He turned to the other side of the bed. Only Suki lay there stirring from sleep. "Sleep more Suki." He whispered to his guards woman.

"Zuko!" The woman sat up to hug him. "I thought that you died. When I saw that you didn't drink Katara's tea, I was sure that you were going to leave us too." Zuko felt Katara's water whip hitting the back of his head. She was mad at him. That made him smile.

"Katara told me I am not allowed to die."

"She also told you that you have to drink the tea so the poison doesn't kill you. You ignored that too." Zuko kissed the woman warrior's forehead. "Sokka nearly had a heart attack. Hakoda took all night to calm him down. Gran Gran fell asleep in the chair."

"I am sorry for worrying all of you. It was my fault." Suki sighed. She noticed he had changed. Something happened in the other realm.

"I am just glad that you are back. Where did you go?" Toph growled from the door. "I know that you left your body, Sparky. Did you think that I wouldn't?" Shun held back the metal bender back.

Zuko fought to stand and failed. His legs were stiff. As if he had gone ten rounds with both Aang and Katara. "Iroh and Katara wanted to talk to me."

"Iroh?" Toph gasped.

"Katara?" Sokka sighed, slumping against the door beside his father.

"Her mother was there too." That got the chieftain's attention. "She looks just like Katara, Sokka." The look Sokka gave his father was shock. "The three of them were having tea." Suki passed him a cup of luke warm tea. "Katara said she was breaking rules but she needed to see me."

"What did she say?" They all said. Spirits this tea was awful. Nothing like Iroh's, but it suppressed the poison, or so Katara said.

"My mother is some where in the Earth Kingdom."

"Toph find Aang." Sokka said in his leader voice. "Tomorrow we are starting the search." Sokka kissed his bride. "We will find her, buddy."

"Didn't your father say that she was alive too?" Suki asked filling his cup.

"Ozai loves to play mind games with me." He sighed taking the cup. "How much of this stuff are you going to make me drink, Suki?"

"Enough to make you strong enough to face the crowds that are gathering at the beach." He sighed again. It really was going to be an event for the whole city. "Gran Gran had Katara ready to go. Hakoda said that he is taking my spot since I hurt my foot again yesterday."

"Was there another attack? Are you okay? Is Sokka going to kill me?"

"No, yes, maybe. I was the one running on the cobble stones but I was trying to get to you to give you the tea." She said hands on her hips. Zuko noted that she was now going to be the mother of the group. Zuko couldn't fault her but that was Katara's spot. The stern loving way that Katara would glare at you.

"I am sorry, Suki. This whole thing is making me crazy."

"I understand. I watched Sokka fight with his demons when we started dating." She swung herself out of the bed. "Get showered. You are going to need the armor today."

"Suki." She looked back at him. "Thank you for taking care of me."

"You're welcome, Zuko. However I do expect that you start taking care of yourself tomorrow. I will not be going back to the Fire Nation. My place is going to be with Sokka now. Ty Lee said that she would head back with you."

"That won't be needed. Starting right now, I am going to be the man that Katara fell in love with." Zuko drank the last of the tea. Suki closed the door. "Starting today I am going to follow our dreams. I will make you proud of me."

Five o'clock came around to another cup of tea pushed into his hands. This time by Aang. "Are you ready to do this?"

"Aang, it is fifty years too early but I will do what I have to." The boy nodded understanding. Zuko drank the tea in gulp, breathing fire when it hit his stomach. "Let's show Tui, La, Agni, and all the rest of the spirits, they took a treasure from us."

Everyone stood at the door to Katara's room. Gran Gran was already in tears. Upon seeing him she embraced the Fire Lord, no, her grandson. "One day I know that you will be returned to her."

"I know Gran Gran." Zuko hugged the woman back. He understood so much about why Katara was the way she was. They were the opposite to his family. The Southern Water tribe people were overflowing with love. That is what he wanted. What Zuko needed. Once he got his mother back he would use them as an example on how to live his life. "I am sorry I let her be taken away from you."

"To tell the truth, I knew in my bones that she would die during the war. I will show you her letters tomorrow when you are rested." He smiled. Gran Gran pulled him down to kiss his forehead. "I was glad she met you."

"I glad I met her too. None of this would have been possible if My Tara hadn't shown me my true path." The woman nodded. "I hope that we will all still be friends despite this."

"How man times do I have to tell you man?" Zuko turned to Sokka. "You are family. Any time you need us we will be there for you." The remaining gang did a group hug. Toph pulled Shun in too. Momo even landed on Zuko's shoulder to hug his head. "Besides you are going to be my Best Man?"

"It would be a honor." They all laughed at the mention of honor. Shun pulled back looking down at Toph then back to the rest.

"How can you all laugh?" The Gaang turned to Shun. "You all laugh as if nothing was wrong."

"You will learn in time, Shun." Toph said. "Zuko," He turned to the earth bender. "I need to have Shun take my place."

"Do you think that there will be another attack?" Gran Gran asked. Zuko and Suki straightened. Sokka frowned. "Aang is going to be there. They were after him, right?"

"That was their goal but it was just to get to Zuko." Gran Gran and Hakoda looked to the young man looking to the ground. "I don't know if there will be an attack but I don't want to drop her if there is. There are rumors and I am taking them seriously." Sokka turned to Suki whom then turned to two other Kyoshi Warriors. One ran off and the other handed Suki a silver and blue fan. "This all feels like we are back at war time. Constantly looking over our shoulders for the crazy fire nation person."

Hakoda looked to his son in law to see the guilt and pain show on his face. Even after all these years Zuko felt the sting of his past haunting his present. Over the years of negotiations Hakoda had learned that this man had lost his loved ones because of the fire nation. His mother leaving, thought dead until his father told him otherwise. The scar on his face. His misguided attempt to have the Fire Lord's love. Then his turn when he realized he couldn't watch his father destroy everything he loved. How his father sent his sister and top general after Aang and the others, assuming that Zuko had failed. How it still stung as some Fire Nation citizens still hated Zuko for deposing his father.

"I am sorry. This is all my fault." Hakoda placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I am sorry you lost your daughter." Zuko attempted to bow but Hakoda held him standing.

"She would have given her life for any of you. Don't think about it." Hakoda smiled before embracing Zuko. "You are her chosen. You will always be family now, young lord. It would honor me if you would walk next to me." Zuko blinked.

Katara was so beautifully dressed in her wedding gown. Her hair in twin braids over her shoulders while still holding the top knot for her Fire Lady crown. Under her the whitest silk money could buy. Around her crown the crest that was to be Zuko's person crest. A flaming water drop. It was to show the world that they were of one soul. On the two sides of the fabric were poles that would allow the family to carry her to the boat.

Normally the husband or betrothed took a back seat to the blood relations. In larger families some times the men did not even get to carry their lady to the boat. However on the pole opposite of the symbol for father was not brother but husband. Zuko felt his nose tighten. Though the wedding had not gone through, he had only just proposed, Zuko was considered to be her husband. Katara had mentioned that once the necklace was accepted the ceremony was just a formality. Now he understood why she said that.

"It would be my honor." Zuko said straining to keep control. They loved him. Most of the time he didn't know why. He was the spawn of a demon. He had tried to kill Aang, Katara and Sokka so many times and yet was forgiven. Now the one woman that stood up to him, showed him a new way to live was gone, but they still treated him as family. He would never fully understand the hearts of the Southern water tribe.


	9. Chapter 9

Bending more than Blood

I don't own avatar. If I did Aang would have married someone else.

Chapter Nine

"It would be my honor." Zuko said straining to keep control. They loved him. Most of the time he didn't know why. He was the spawn of a demon. He had tried to kill Aang, Katara and Sokka so many times and yet was forgiven. Now the one woman that stood up to him, showed him a new way to live was gone, but they still treated him as family. He would never fully understand the hearts of the Southern water tribe.

Sokka took his spot behind his father while Shun took the spot labeled sister. That would have been for Suki. Suki would now walk up front with the two water bladders that normally held her water. Though Katara did not need them in the spirit world Gran Gran had been adamant that Katara be sent out to see with them. Toph walked behind Suki trying to hide the fact that she was waiting for the attack.

Zuko felt the chilled hand in his free hand. "Now would be a good time to get back to your body." He whispered. The hand got tighter.

"Yue." Came from Sokka. Zuko turned to the warrior. It was Katara. Frowning Zuko turned to the water bender on his right. Yue teared up.

"_I tried to get her back to her but my other half will not allow it."_ The spirit said.

"That is alright. She told me it was too late anyway." That seemed to anger the spirit as she enlarged. What had he said?

"Dad, hold up." Sokka said turning to the now fighting women. Aang came up from behind to take the pole so that Katara's body did not fall. "Yue, if you can't give her back to Zuko then take her back to the spirit realm. It hurts us all too much to see you. Either of you." Zuko watched Hakoda fight the urge to turn to his daughter.

"_Sokka!" _Katara screamed.Yue took Katara's hand pulling her away. Wait Katara was fighting Yue.

"Yue please." The Moon spirit stopped to look at Zuko. "Not yet." Katara turned back to her friend. "Let her be selfish this once." Then Katara's eyes lit up. "Thank you." Hakoda smiled starting to walk again. Zuko said nothing until he heard his name.

"Fire Lord Zuko knew Master Katara of the Southern water tribe, better than anyone else. They were partners, best friends, soul mates." Aang motioned to Zuko.

What was he going to say? She was gone. He wasn't prepared for this moment. "I have seen first hand what Tara could do. The lengths that she would take to help someone. She only asked for three things for herself. She always told me that she wasn't ever going to let anyone suffer. She was a very powerful healer whom had seen too much death." Zuko turned to her standing with her Gran Gran.

"I fell in love with her for that reason. Most people did." He could see some in the crowd were nodding. "She doesn't want us to hurt as her passing. She would want us to live on. Though she wouldn't want us to make a fuss over her, we are going to use her as an example for how to live our lives. Teaching others with a kind heart. Defending those around you with a strong heart. Helping each other no matter the nation or the bending. We are going to build Republic City just as she dreamed it could be. Together we will make this the City of Peace." The crowd cheered. Katara smiled.

"Now if there is anything that you would like to give Katara for her journey to the spirit world you may follow the family." Hakoda gave Zuko an approving look. That was the last thing that Zuko remembered until he pushed to boat out on to the water. Sokka was the last to leave because Suki needed to go home. Before doing so she gave him a canteen.

"_Thank you."_

"I would have lived a life with you. Now I don't know what I am going to do." She sighed at his confession. "I know I have to stay here to do everything that we talked about, but what do I do after that? Eventually my council is going to start calling for me to marry again. How do I find another woman that would be the mother of the army of children you wanted?"

"_Honestly Zuko. I would say that you need to find Song or Jin."_ A hit of amusement crossed her eyes. _"Or Ty Lee."_ Zuko groaned that the teasing jab. Ty Lee was just too happy for him. _"Even though we didn't land up together I know that I will always love you Zuko. You changed my life."_

"Karma owes us one." She laughed at that. "Who would you pick for me?"

"_Over me already?" _The look he gave her could have burnt right through her soul. _"I guess that is a no."_

"I am asking your opinion since I might never get to talk to you after the boat is out of sight. You know how much I value your council."

"_So you are making me pick my own replacement."_ Katara's gave off a knowing annoyance. _"I have met both of them?"_ Zuko nodded. _"Jin was the girl you were smiling at in Ba Sing Se. I would pick her. Song reminds you of the bad things. Jin makes you smile. She is pretty."_ Zuko smiled at her annoyance turned to anger.

"You are jealous?" She huffed. He turned back to the transparent woman. Seeing her like that made him remember that she was the one that was in the distant boat. "I am going to miss this." Behind him the sun was rising. In front of him the moon was just touching the little boat. "No one will replace you Katara. You are my first love." He watched her hand reach for his face. The scar cooled as her hand vanished.

"_Go find your mother."_ Zuko turned to the boat seeing it begin to glow before vanishing.

"As my wife commands." Turning back to the city he saw Sokka, Aang, Toph, Hakoda, Kuei, and Arnook. "I am going to get some rest, then talk with Gran Gran for a little while but some time this afternoon I want to have a council meeting called. We are going to pass her law today."

Sokka walked with him back to his house. Neither man said anything. Neither of them was shocked when Gran Gran was sitting in the vestibule. Beside her a small wooden box that once held water scrolls. "Sokka you should go to your wife." Sokka only stopped briefly to kiss the elder woman on her head. "Come sit with me, if you are not too tired."

"It would be my honor to talk with you Gran Gran." That made her snicker just as Katara had the last couple years. Zuko smiled thinking that this is what Katara would look like at ninety. This was the woman that raised her, after all. "My office is more private and has soft couches."

"No need my dear boy." Zuko instead feel gracefully to his knees before the woman. "I shall return to that lavish bed." That made him smile. "I could live like that for the rest of my life." Mental note, send the bed to the South Pole. "I just wanted to give you this." She slid the lid off the box. Just as they had discussed he saw the letters with Gran Gran's name on the papers. "These will keep you close to her. Once you have finished reading them you should understand her more." The lid closed. "Keep them so you can remember her."

"I will probably always love her, Gran Gran. Short of death I don't think that I will ever forget her." The old woman continued to smile as she patted the top of his head. "When are you leaving for the south?"

"Hakoda said that Suki and I could leave tomorrow if I was ready. He however had business here." Zuko kissed the old woman's hands before letting her leave. "You would have made each other happy." With that she was gone. Suki was there instead.

"Zuko?" Having someone else say what he knew in his soul caused all his control to break. She was gone. Forcing himself to stand he refused to look at his sister in law.

"How much tea did Katara say I had to drink?" Suki gasped at Zuko's voice.

"You need to drink two pots a day this week. I will have it sent to your room." He just nodded. "Please get some rest."

"Oh Suki have Gran Gran's bed packed up and taken with you. A gift for her." Before Suki could answer Zuko was walking up the stairs.

The bed was indeed soft. It did call to him but he went to his desk. Slowly he organized the letters based on dates. The oldest one just recanted their first escape from him. The second one was longer. He saw his name in bold strong lettering.

Dearest Gran Gran,

We are in a small town in the Earth Kingdom. I have to tell you about this prince that is following us. His name is Zuko. I should probably tell you how we met this time. It was funny when I think about it now but at the time I almost wished I could be a fire bender.

See we ran into these pirates and they had a scroll of water bending. PIRATES! Oh course I couldn't let them keep it. I told myself that it was for Aang but it was because I didn't want anymore of our knowledge being destroyed. After some time we met up with them. They knew I was the one that had the scroll so they chased me. That was when I ran right into the Prince.

"I will save you from the pirates." My heart fluttered. He was so intense. If he wasn't on the wrong side I might have a crush on him. Well that was where that feeling ended. After sending the pirates after Aang he tied me to a tree. A FREAKING TREE! PRINCE ZUKO TIED ME TO A TREE. That ass tried to get me to tell him where Sokka and Aang were.

Of course I told him nothing. There was something that I saw in his eyes that reminded me of Dad. Zuko's eyes are the more gorgeous shade of yellow. They are so intense it was hard to look away from him. During the time that I was his prisoner, I met his eccentric uncle. He was the one that told me his name. A sweet man that really loves Zuko.

I get the feeling that something happened that is causing him to act against his nature. I don't know what it is. I know that I will have time to figure it out. Once I do I am hoping that I can get him to join us. I have a feeling that he is going to follow us for a while. I should go. Sokka is whining for food. Love you Gran Gran.

Katara

Even back then she wanted to help him. Stupid peasant girl was very perceptive. She was really pretty but she was the enemy then. Had she learned the truth sooner would they have gotten together sooner? There is no way to know what could have been. Why was he reading these then? Zuko needed to sleep. He was still ill and he had not been sleeping since it happened.

Knock knock. "Zuko, I brought your tea."


	10. Chapter 10

Bending more than Blood

I don't own avatar. If I did Aang would have married someone else.

Chapter Ten

Knock knock. "Lord Zuko, I brought your tea." The maid called from the door. Six months after Katara's death, Zuko found that he had grown accustom to her tea. As awful at it was it was a part of her that he could have all the time. During his tea breaks he would pull out the letters. Today would be no different. However today was his birthday so the others would be there soon.

"Thank you, Maria." The Earth Kingdom girl bowed. "Please inform me when the Avatar and party arrive."

"Yes Sir." The girl left.

Leaning back in his chair Zuko looked down to the locked drawer that contained Gran Gran's letters. Full aware that this was not good for him he reached for the letters. On top was the ones that he couldn't stop reading. The letters about the pirates, the play, capturing Azula and his engagement to Mai. The one that got to him most was right after Mai left him.

_Hey Gran Gran,_

_I hope that you are well. I could use you right now. I don't know what to do. I have never been this lost. Aang left without telling me again. It's like he doesn't care that I am in his life. I was so mad about it this morning I started to pack my stuff. There is a house that I like on the other side of the city. I am seriously thinking of buying it. I just can't live on Air Temple Island any more._

_I think that you would like the place. It's winter now and it looks just like the yard that around our house. I have seen it in summer. There is a small pond and an apple tree next to it. The flowers shine in the moonlight. It is very defensible too. A stone wall surrounds the whole house. Sokka lives three blocks away from it. Zuko's estate just three houses over._

_That is where I don't know what to do. If I buy the house I would see Zuko more often. You know that I love him. I love them both but Aang won't talk to me about it. He just says that the fortune teller said that there was a strong bender in my future. Zuko is strong. Haru is strong. It doesn't mean that I am going to land up with Aang._

_Mai left Zuko. The cryptic letter she sent me gives me hope that Zuko has feelings for me too. You know the man, he wouldn't show it even if he did. Why would I care if I really loved Aang the same way? When did I start loving Zuko and not Aang? _

_On top of this I witnessed a blood bender yesterday. I followed him cornering him in an ally. No Toph. No Sokka. By Myself. He begged me not to turn him into the avatar. He doesn't know how to control it. There was something that I didn't trust. After this morning I think I am going to have Toph have this man followed. _

_Spirits I need you here Gran Gran. I don't know what I am going to do. I love you. Send my love to Dad._

_Katara_

The letter was dated two weeks after Mai had left him. It was the day that he arrived back in the city to see her. They had a great night. Cactus Club for dancing and drinks. Dinner and a play before they ended up on the curb across from her future home. They talked about the pros and cons of her owning her own place. Yet it wasn't Zuko that had helped her with the answer.

It was Aang. He landed at their feet while she was crying. Zuko couldn't remember what the avatar had said to set her off. That didn't stop it from happening. At the end she stayed at his house. Aang went home. The next day they went to the housing agent and Katara bought her house. Together they sat on the floor in her new home talking about everything except what was bothering her. Aang.

"Zuko?" Speak of the man and he arrived. That was a year ago. Oh how a year had changed them so unimpressively. This was now. Each man held a little resentment for what had happened. Each man's self loathing out weighed it though. The dried blood under Aang's nails did not go unnoticed. Looking at Toph, Zuko could tell that she knew what Aang was doing to himself. He would talk to Aang later in private. Noticing that Zuko saw he pulled away from his best friend.

"I just have one meeting today so if you guys want to hand out in town. We can head to Ember Island in about an hour." Zuko offered. "I have no doubt that it will not take that long. I am told that they only want to talk about my future wife."

"I thought that you were going to bring Jin in?" Sokka asked.

"She is just a citizen." Sokka growled. A very pregnant Suki calmed him with a single hand. Katara was able to do that too. Zuko thought. "I know but if the council goes against me I will not be able to fulfill Tara's vision for this world." Things are so different in the Water Tribes. Sokka was able to marry the woman that he loved.

"Sorry, Zuko." His eyes snapped to the Kyoshi Warrior. "You have time. I can't see them pushing for it quickly." She hugged him. "They know that you are still in mourning."

Half expecting a group hug, Zuko stiffened. "This time next year I have to marry. I need to be married for my thirtieth birthday." Suki just held him tighter. A small hand did touch his shoulder. Toph tightened when his heart constricted.

"It is what is best for the nation. If another person took the thrown we would have to start all over again." That again. Why? All he wanted was Tara.

"That is what Tara said. It doesn't make me feel any better." Zuko felt the need to get away from them. To wallow in his own grief, even if they shared it.

"There is something that I want to talk to the council about." Aang refused to look at Zuko. "I think it is time to pull you into the search for your mother."

"Have you found her?" Zuko felt himself being pushed away from Aang. Toph's eyes glazed over, as she was holding the tears. "What is going on?"

"Your father has escaped with the help of Azula." Zuko knew that. How could he not? Plans were set to recapture them. "He found her first." What? "There is an army around her. Though I can't find her. The town was already scared. There is a blood bender terrorizing them. Between the army, the bender and me I am scared for her safety so I didn't press." Aang said. There was nothing to talk about. Plans formed in his mind. Only one stuck. No one was going to like it.

Zuko held his composure. The news about his father and sister was expected but a blood bender so close to his mother was not going to be acceptable. Once he got to the council room all but three were there. "War monger Ozai has escaped from prison with the unstable Azula." The room murmured. "I am going personally to capture them again." The room erupted in protests. Zuko simply rose his hand. "They are my family. That makes this my problem. I don't expect to be longer than two weeks."

Admiral Li stood up bowing to the young fire lord. "I shall take you myself. I know the forces that your father will have gathered. My forces will be more than enough to take them down."

"I am going on Appa." This is a perfect time to test the loyalty of the new Admiral Li. "However a second team on the coast could stop that land forces." The Admiral smiled. "I want no civilians harmed." The man was gone. Without another word Zuko just left the room. Aang in tow.

Zuko stood at the end of his bed. It held the two pasts that they held in common. Pulling the key from his shirt he sighed. "It's time the Blue spirit comes out of retirement." On the top of the pile were two paintings of women. One Aang knew was Katara's mother. The other was Zuko's. Attached to the lid Katara's straw hat next to the wooden mask. Aang let a tear fall picking up the mask. "I can move faster this way."

Suki stood at his door glaring at him. "You promised." The Fire Lord was seventeen again. Suki standing there, eyes full of tears. "You told her that you wouldn't risk your life any more. You promised us."

"This is not the time, Suki." Zuko said pulling his sword off the wall over his desk. When he turned she was glaring at him.

"I have to stop you. What would Katara think and if she knew that you were going to face them again? How would she react if she knew there was a blood bender?"

"Katara is the reason that I am doing this!" He yelled back to the warrior. "Do you really think that I am going to let another woman I love to die?" Zuko saw the warrior tear up. "Tara would want to go after that bender herself. We all know that. She thought it was her duty. She could not not help people." Aang threw down the wooden mask.

"You both feel the need to lie to protect those people." Aang snapped, picking up Katara's straw hat. "I would be following her to keep her safe." That was one of the reasons that Katara was annoyed with Aang. Yet Zuko would have done the same thing. Only once then he wold have joined her.

"She can't do that anymore so I am going to fulfill the mission for her." Suki gasped suddenly then liquid falling to the ground. Zuko caught her as Aang rang for the maids.

"This is not a good time." She told the baby as another contraction hit her. Smiling she turned to Zuko. "So much like his father. Can't let you go alone."

"Sokka!" Aang called down the hall. The man came in with Toph.

"Sokka you can't let Zuko go alone." Suki pleaded. The men exchanged a look. "I am going to kick your ass if you don't go with him." Zuko smiled as Sokka's resignation. "Baby is coming now." Sokka placed his wife on Zuko's bed while Toph pushed the other two from the room. None of the boys were allowed to enter. Aang sat on the floor across from the room. Sokka paced while Zuko stood next to Aang.

Zuko watched the Avatar rub his hands over scars. His nails shaped like knives, cutting into the flesh. Frowning Zuko saw the blood for perfect spheres floating over Aang's arm.

"Aang are using bleed bending!" Zuko picked up Aang slamming him into the wall. "Dammit Aang what are you thinking?" Zuko fought through the anger. He had to keep from slamming Aang through the wall. "You know how she felt about it." Aang said nothing. "Think about what she was becoming."

"Katara was an angel to me." Zuko looked to his brother for help only to find that the Southern warrior punched a vase.

"That didn't stop her from falling into the darkness while she fought the bending." Zuko growled.

Sokka stood next to Zuko. "You were there when Hama was forcing her to use it." The baby cried just as Suki did. "You were there when she began to hate herself for it."

Zuko dropped the shorter man. The collar burnt and smoking. It would be so easy to spark it to a full flame but this was Aang. Despite everything they were still friends. "Blood bending never solved anything." Zuko began to walk away.

"Was that why she was crying in her office that night?"

"She didn't tell me. I suspect that it was." Zuko stood up straight. "She never wanted you to fall to this, Aang. You were her hope for the future. If you fall into this madness like Hama I will end you myself." The Fire Lord said. Aang was left crying in the hall.

Zuko fell to his knees in his person shine to his mother, Iroh and Katara. "I hope you can forgive me, Uncle." This time the pack held money and his Blue Spirit gear. "Wish me luck, my love." Aang was no where to be seen as Zuko made his way to the waiting bison.

"Took you long enough." Sokka leaned against the saddle as Zuko when they went to get Suki and Hakoda. Both men smiled. "I have never seen the Blue Spirit in action." Sokka said taking the reins. "Suki said that you promised Iroh that you would stop with the Blue Spirit. How come?"

"How come she said it? How come Uncle made me promise? How come I am bringing it back?" Zuko unrolled a map. "Your wife wants us to be safe. This is hardly going to be safe. I promised Uncle because I had a new plan to join Gaang. I am bringing him back because the people need a hero for them and the Blue Spirit always was."

"So why did you side with your sister in Ba Sing Se?"

"You have to understand that I knew your sister has horrible acting skills. The moment that she touched my face I knew that she wasn't going to forgive me. I did want to kiss her and kill my sister." Zuko stared at the mark on the map he had made for Yon Ran's home town. "I would have given anything for Time Bending. Maybe we wouldn't have lost her."

Sokka started to laugh. "Man, you talk like you could have stopped her from doing anything." Zuko smiled.

"It's a Southern Water Tribe flaw." They laughed together. Seemed just like old times.

"Your future wife will have a lot to live up to."

"I am sorry."

Sokka turned back his his brother. "The feeling of what could have been is stronger that what happened because you have a sense of perfect for the life you two were going to have." Zuko sat back on his heels.

"Even though she and I didn't end up together, it will not change the fact that she changed my life forever. I would have continued to chase Aang to one day kill him." Saying it out loud gave him chills. The war would still be going on. His father would still be in power. All the good they have done would not have happened if Katara had not stood up to him at the South Pole. "Aang was right. Your sister was an angel. Sent to guide us to a new found peace."

"You are both crazy. She was a horrible cook, stubborn, selfless and pushy." Zuko sighed. "Nothing like my Suki."

"No Nothing like your stubborn, pushy, selfless wife." Zuko saw Sokka look up at the moon. "What did you name your child?"

"Kyo and La." Twins? Had Katara ever said anything about twins? Would they have had twins? "La looks like Katara with green eyes. Kyo is going to break hearts. Just like I did." Even Appa laughed at that. "Oh classic Appa. How I have missed this?"

"What?"

"The traveling." Zuko nodded. "Dad is teaching me how to run the tribe. Then Suki was pregnant. We kinda fell into our places in the tribe so I don't get to leave the South Pole often."

"It's just going to get worse. Once you are the leader there will be no traveling unless your Ambassador needs you in Republic City." Four years traveling made Zuko long for a home and now that he had a home he wished to be back on the boat with Iroh and Katara.

"Good thing for mental benders then. You and I are going to have lots to do now that the bill is passed." Zuko nodded. Sokka took Appa's reigns. "Just don't expect me to dress up as the Painted Lady?"


End file.
